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2012 applicant figures - May

Data reported as at Monday 21 May 2012 compared to Monday 23 May 2011

Table 1: total applicants for all courses

May 2012 total applicants for all courses

2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Total applicants 647,008 597,473 -49,535 -7.7%
Total choices 2,776,911 2,573,771 -203,140 -7.3%


Table 2: total applicants by gender

May 2012 total applicants by gender
By gender 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Female 366,409 340,692 -25,717 -7.0%
Male 280,599 256,781 -23,818 -8.5%
Total 647,008 597,473 -49,535 -7.7%


Table 3: total applicants by age

May 2012 total applicants by age
By age 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
17 and under 13,784 13,798 14 0.1%
18 265,806 258,848 -6,958 -2.6%
19 148,650 130,386 -18,264 -12.3%
20 58,797 52,354 -6,443 -11.0%
21 31,760 28,189 -3,571 -11.2%
22 20,683 18,608 -2,075 -10.0%
23 15,571 13,566 -2,005 -12.9%
24 11,865 10,513 -1,352 -11.4%
25 to 29 33,896 29,864 -4,032 -11.9%
30 to 39 30,646 27,481 -3,165 -10.3%
40 and over 15,550 13,866 -1,684 -10.8%
Total 647,008 597,473 -49,535 -7.7%


Table 4a: total applicants by domicile (UK, other EU, non-EU)

May 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK, other EU, non-EU)
By domicile 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
UK 550,147 501,267 -48,880 -8.9%
Other EU 45,727 39,966 -5,761 -12.6%
Non EU 51,134 56,240 5,106 10.0%
Total 647,008 597,473 -49,535 -7.7%


Table 4b: total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by country)

May 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by country)
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 464,327 417,914 -46,413 -10.0%
Northern Ireland 19,843 18,965 -878 -4.4%
Scotland 42,659 41,701 -958 -2.2%
Wales 23,318 22,687 -631 -2.7%
Total 550,147 501,267 -48,880 -8.9%


Table 4c: 18 year old applicants only by UK country

May 2012 18 year old applicants only by UK country
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 204,572 196,092 -8,480 -4.1%
Northern Ireland 8,783 8,635 -148 -1.7%
Scotland 15,164 15,217 53 0.3%
Wales 10,519 10,377 -142 -1.3%
Total 239,038 230,321 -8,717 -3.6%


Table 4d: total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by region)

May 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by region)
By UK region 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
East Midlands 36,126 32,340 -3,786 -10.5%
Eastern 47,360 42,434 -4,926 -10.4%
Greater London 89,195 80,252 -8,943 -10.0%
North East 20,821 18,389 -2,432 -11.7%
North West 63,963 57,908 -6,055 -9.5%
Northern Ireland 19,843 18,965 -878 -4.4%
Scotland 42,659 41,701 -958 -2.2%
South East 73,810 65,989 -7,821 -10.6%
South West 43,503 38,136 -5,367 -12.3%
Wales 23,318 22,687 -631 -2.7%
West Midlands 47,143 43,647 -3,496 -7.4%
Yorks & The Humber 42,406 38,819 -3,587 -8.5%
Total 550,147 501,267 -48,880 -8.9%


Table 4e: total applicants by domicile (other EU and non-EU only)

May 2012 total applicants by domicile (other EU and non-EU only)
By OS country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Africa 5,427 5,523 96 1.8%
Americas 6,228 6,721 493 7.9%
Australasia 537 599 62 11.5%
EU (ex. Ireland) 38,462 34,093 -4,369 -11.4%
Ireland 7,265 5,873 -1,392 -19.2%
Europe (ex.EU) 4,734 5,053 319 6.7%
Far E(ex HK/Mal) 22,491 24,524 2,033 9.0%
Hong Kong 4,110 5,653 1,543 37.5%
Malaysia 3,218 3,500 282 8.8%
Middle East 4,247 4,557 310 7.3%
Other Overseas 142 110 -32 -22.5%
Total 96,861 96,206 -655 -0.7%


Table 4f: total applicants by declared area of permanent residence and country of institution

May 2012 total applicants by declared area of permanent residence and country of institution

Country of Institution
Domicile of Applicant
England N. Ireland Scotland Wales
England 2012 417,009 2,154 25,120 37,414
2011 463,169 1,851 26,618 42,811
% change -10.0% 16.4% -5.6% -12.6%
N. Ireland 2012 9,834 16,708 5,225 960
2011 11,400 16,958 6,142 1,139
% change -13.7% -1.5% -14.9% -15.7%
Scotland 2012 4,255 180 40,969 214
2011 5,064 182 41,758 335
% change -16.0% -1.1% -1.9% -36.1%
Wales 2012 15,686 88 863 18,209
2011 15,362 74 843 19,205
% change 2.1% 18.9% 2.4% -5.2%
Other EU 2012 32,946 2,011 17,840 3,505
2011 39,780 2,185 16,813 4,244
% change -17.2% -8.0% 6.1% -17.4%
Non EU 2012 54,189 809 12,790 5,460
2011 48,924 679 10,670 5,369
% change 10.8% 19.1% 19.9% 1.7%
Total 2012 533,919 21,950 102,807 65,762
2011 583,699 21,929 102,844 73,103
% change -8.5% 0.1% 0.0% -10.0%


Table notes: An applicant has a maximum count of 1 to each 'country of institution'. If an applicant's choices include multiple countries then the applicant is counted once within each 'country of institution' present.

Table 5: total applicants by application month

May 2012 total applicants by application month
By application month 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
September 13,380 9,647 -3,733 -27.9%
October 85,532 80,949 -4,583 -5.4%
November 138,632 124,331 -14,301 -10.3%
December 156,270 153,048 -3,222 -2.1%
January 202,554 185,348 -17,206 -8.5%
February 12,413 11,485 -928 -7.5%
March 17,893 14,528 -3,365 -18.8%
April 11,737 10,627 -1,110 -9.5%
May 8,597 7,510 -1,087 -12.6%
Total 647,008 597,473 -49,535 -7.7%


Applicant volume by month Cumulative applicant volume by month

Table 6: total applications (choices) by JACS3 subject group

May 2012 applicant figures - Applications (Choices) by JACS3 Subject Group
JACS3 Subject Group 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Group A Medicine & Dentistry 96,440 93,904 -2,536 -2.6%
Group B Subjects allied to Medicine 359,185 360,406 1,221 0.3%
Group C Biological Sciences 224,498 214,574 -9,924 -4.4%
Group D Vet Sci,Ag & related 27,335 26,532 -803 -2.9%
Group F Physical Sciences 98,075 97,208 -867 -0.9%
Group G Mathematical & Comp Sci 45,038 43,934 -1,104 -2.5%
Group H Engineering 134,321 131,644 -2,677 -2.0%
Group I Computer Science 92,857 86,488 -6,369 -6.9%
Group J Technologies 11,607 9,507 -2,100 -18.1%
Group K Architecture, Build & Plan 47,863 40,142 -7,721 -16.1%
Group L Social Studies 237,109 209,619 -27,490 -11.6%
Group M Law 118,964 113,993 -4,971 -4.2%
Group N Business & Admin studies 317,158 299,453 -17,705 -5.6%
Group P Mass Comms and Documentation 60,726 52,253 -8,473 -14.0%
Group Q Linguistics, Classics & related 70,523 64,776 -5,747 -8.1%
Group R European Langs, Lit & related 25,240 22,307 -2,933 -11.6%
Group T Non-European Langs and related 8,315 6,585 -1,730 -20.8%
Group V Hist & Philosophical studies 82,426 76,501 -5,925 -7.2%
Group W Creative Arts & Design 297,077 248,284 -48,793 -16.4%
Group X Education 92,641 84,479 -8,162 -8.8%
Y Combined arts 69,618 58,004 -11,614 -16.7%
Y Combined sciences 41,476 37,566 -3,910 -9.4%
Y Combined social sciences 33,185 29,235 -3,950 -11.9%
Y Sciences combined with social sciences or arts 103,388 85,686 -17,702 -17.1%
Y Social sciences combined with arts 63,426 54,650 -8,776 -13.8%
Z General, other combined & unknown 18,420 26,041 7,621 41.4%
Total 2,776,911 2,573,771 -203,140 -7.3%


View a further breakdown of applications by JACS 3 subject line

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