Many more 20-somethings are applying

Latest figures from the Universities and College Admissions Service (Ucas) show that 393,750 had applied for full-time degree, DipHE or HND/HNC courses by March 24.

This was 14,864 (3.9%) more than last year.

But the National Union of Students said more than half of the increase - 7,888 - involved applicants to 10 institutions that are new to the Ucas system so were not counted last year.

The increase among women was 4.6% on last year and they accounted for almost 55% of all the applications.

There has been a rise of 2.2% in the number of under-21 applicants, but by far the biggest increase was from those aged 21 to 24 - up 7.9%.

Ucas's acting chief executive, Anthony McClaran, said that at the same point last year "we were looking at a small drop in the number of under-21s from the UK applying to higher education.

"So it is particularly encouraging to see that the percentage of UK applicants aged under 21 has risen."

Scottish interest

In terms of the national breakdown, Scotland has had the biggest increase with the number of "home" applicants applying to Scottish universities and colleges up by 5.4%.

Applicants within Northern Ireland were up by 3.2%. Within England the rise was 2.7% and within Wales, 2.4%.

There has again been a marked rise in the numbers coming from abroad - up 12.2%to a total of 43,047.

Following the pattern of recent years, the most striking increase is in applicants from China - up almost 44%, to 5,810, easily the largest overseas group.