David Willetts

In response to new UCAS figures out tomorrow, which show a 10 per cent rise in applications for university, David Willetts, the Shadow Secretary of State for Universities and Skills, said:

“Ministers are sleepwalking into a crisis in university applications. Yesterday, David Lammy told the House of Commons there was nothing to worry about and the Prime Minister keeps telling us he is offering more opportunities to young people. But today we have the hard evidence to show that tens of thousands of people who hoped to go on to higher education this year face a brick wall.

“Young people are becoming the biggest victims of this recession. The number of young people not in education, employment or training is already at record levels and now we are on course to have a record number of young people refused a university place.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. New UCAS figures show the number of university applicants in 2009 (as at 30 June) is 592,312 - this is a rise of 9.7% or 52,204 on the same period last year. Among people living in England, the figure has risen by 10.1% (from 390,358 to 429,734). (UCAS press release, 9 July 2009).

2. The Government initially promised to fund 15,000 extra university places in England in 2009. Last year, they reduced this to just 10,000, of which only 3,000 are for home/EU, full-time undergraduates. This is a rise of around 1 per cent.

3. The number of rejected university applicants in the UK is likely to be around 50,000 higher than normal. Many of these students are expected to have the sorts of exam grades that would normally ensure a university place. But, this year, anyone who misses their university offers because their grades are slightly lower than predicted will find it much harder than normal to secure a place anywhere else, even during the clearing process.

4. On 6 July, in an Opposition Day debate on ‘Young People in the Recession’, David Lammy MP, the Minister for Higher Education, told the House of Commons: “Student numbers will continue to rise … This is a nervous time for students and parents, as they wait for A-level results, but this year, as always, every student who has an offer from a university and meets the grades will get a place. … those who are unsuccessful on their first attempt often reapply, and 80 per cent. are successful second time round.” (Hansard, 6 July 2009, cols. 729-730).