information
18 October 2006
Latest figures from UCAS show that 389,505 applicants have been accepted onto UK full-time higher education courses starting in 2006 compared with 404,668 in 2005 and 375,530 in 2004. This equates to a fall of 3.7% between 2006 and 2005 and a rise of 3.7% between 2006 and 2004.
The figures also illustrate that 37,729 applicants have successfully found a place through Clearing in comparison with 36,904 last year. In total, 504,748 applicants applied to courses through UCAS in 2006, a reduction of 3.1% on 2005 and an increase of 4.3% on 2004. The majority of applications, 98.1%, were made online.
Table 1 - Applicant statistics
| 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | |
Applicants accepted (1) |
|||
- having unconditional or confirmed conditional offers |
351,776 |
367,764 |
341,026 |
- having found a place in Clearing |
37,729 |
36,904 |
34,504 |
| Total number of accepted applicants | 389,505 | 404,668 | 375,530 |
Applicants with outcome pending |
2,658 |
255 |
176 |
Applicants eligible for clearing (2) |
98,629 |
106,430 |
96,647 |
Applicants withdrawn from scheme (3) |
13,956 |
9,608 |
11,576 |
| Total number of applicants | 504,748 | 520,961 | 483,929 |
Days from publication of GCE results |
55 |
55 |
55 |
Comparison date (4) |
11/10/06 |
12/10/05 |
13/10/04 |
Number of institutions within UCAS membership that have received applications |
327 |
325 |
323 |
Notes
Includes those deferring entry to the following year. (Applicants are counted in the year in which they apply, not the year in which they intend to begin their course.)
Eligible applicants are sent details of Clearing, but as they do not have to register with UCAS to take part, the number active is not known.
Includes those withdrawn after accepting an offer.
Comparisons with previous years are made relative to the publication of Advanced level results (17 August 2006, 18 August 2005 and 19 August 2004). For example, figures for Thursday, 31 August 2006, fourteen days after this year's publication date, will be compared with those for Thursday 1 September 2005 and Thursday 2 September 2004.
Table 2 - Acceptances from applicants by age group and gender
Men |
Women |
Total |
||
Under 21 years |
2006 |
140,754 |
163,972 |
304,726 |
2005 |
146,877 |
169,443 |
316,320 |
|
% change |
-4.2% |
-3.2% |
-3.7% |
|
21 to 24 years |
2006 |
22,740 |
21,668 |
44,408 |
2005 |
23,937 |
22,230 |
46,167 |
|
% change |
-5.0% |
-2.5% |
-3.8% |
|
25 years and over |
2006 |
16,233 |
24,138 |
40,371 |
2005 |
17,249 |
24,932 |
42,181 |
|
% change |
-5.9% |
-3.2% |
-4.3% |
|
Total |
2006 |
179,727 |
209,778 |
389,505 |
2005 |
188,063 |
216,605 |
404,668 |
|
% change |
-4.4% |
-3.2% |
-3.7% |
|
Table 3 - Acceptances by age and UK country
Home country of applicant |
||||||
England |
Wales |
Scotland |
Northern Ireland |
Total |
||
Under 21 years |
2006 |
230,583 |
13,345 |
20,608 |
10,935 |
275,471 |
2005 |
242,723 |
13,379 |
21,206 |
11,813 |
289,121 |
|
% change |
-5.0% |
-0.3% |
-2.8% |
-7.4% |
-4.7% |
|
21 to 24 years |
2006 |
27,489 |
1,549 |
2,930 |
1,200 |
33,168 |
2005 |
28,159 |
1,561 |
2,964 |
1,245 |
33,929 |
|
% change |
-2.4% |
-0.8% |
-1.1% |
-3.6% |
-2.2% |
|
25 years and over |
2006 |
29,667 |
1,907 |
3,128 |
801 |
35,503 |
2005 |
30,324 |
1,909 |
3,476 |
851 |
36,560 |
|
% change |
-2.2% |
-0.1% |
-10.0% |
-5.9% |
-2.9% |
|
Total |
2006 |
287,739 |
16,801 |
26,666 |
12,936 |
344,142 |
2005 |
301,206 |
16,849 |
27,646 |
13,909 |
359,610 |
|
% change |
-4.5% |
-0.3% |
-3.5% |
-7.0% |
-4.3% |
|
Table 4 - Acceptances by area of domicile and country of accepting institution
Area of Permanent Residence |
Country of institution |
Total |
||||
England |
Wales |
Scotland |
Northern Ireland |
|||
England |
2006 |
275,616 |
8,333 |
3,668 |
122 |
287,739 |
2005 |
287,305 |
9,492 |
4,289 |
120 |
301,206 |
|
% change |
-4.1% |
-12.2% |
-14.5% |
+1.7% |
-4.5% |
|
Wales |
2006 |
5,378 |
11,321 |
98 |
4 |
16,801 |
2005 |
6,327 |
10,382 |
133 |
7 |
16,849 |
|
% change |
-15.0% |
+9.0% |
-26.3% |
-42.9% |
-0.3% |
|
Scotland |
2006 |
1,758 |
59 |
24,836 |
13 |
26,666 |
2005 |
1,879 |
64 |
25,685 |
18 |
27,646 |
|
% change |
-6.4% |
-7.8% |
-3.3% |
-27.8% |
-3.5% |
|
Northern Ireland |
2006 |
3,576 |
112 |
1,231 |
8,017 |
12,936 |
2005 |
3,168 |
109 |
1,262 |
9,370 |
13,909 |
|
% change |
+12.9% |
+2.8% |
-2.5% |
-14.4% |
-7.0% |
|
Rep. of Ireland |
2006 |
1,349 |
246 |
736 |
347 |
2,678 |
2005 |
1,437 |
275 |
787 |
687 |
3,186 |
|
% change |
-6.1% |
-10.5% |
-6.5% |
-49.5% |
-15.9% |
|
Other EU |
2006 |
12,900 |
492 |
2,179 |
18 |
15,589 |
2005 |
11,962 |
407 |
1,660 |
20 |
14,049 |
|
% change |
+7.8% |
+20.9% |
+31.3% |
-10.0% |
+11.0% |
|
Other overseas |
2006 |
23,537 |
905 |
2,606 |
48 |
27,096 |
2005 |
24,712 |
905 |
2,143 |
63 |
27,823 |
|
% change |
-4.8% |
0.0% |
+21.6% |
-23.8% |
-2.6% |
|
Total |
2006 |
324,114 |
21,468 |
35,354 |
8,569 |
389,505 |
2005 |
336,790 |
21,634 |
35,959 |
10,285 |
404,668 |
|
% change |
-3.8% |
-0.8% |
-1.7% |
-16.7% |
-3.7% |
|
Table 5 - Acceptances by overseas country (> 600 Acceptances Only)
Country |
2006 |
2005 |
Percent change |
China |
4,459 |
4,848 |
-8.0% |
Ireland |
2,678 |
3,186 |
-15.9% |
France |
2,359 |
2,162 |
+9.1% |
Hong Kong |
2,357 |
2,136 |
+10.3% |
Nigeria |
2,109 |
3,187 |
-33.8% |
Germany |
2,083 |
2,002 |
+4.0% |
Cyprus |
2,016 |
1,724 |
+16.9% |
Malaysia |
1,706 |
1,895 |
-10.0% |
Poland |
1,563 |
1,033 |
+51.3% |
Greece |
1,520 |
1,498 |
+1.5% |
India |
1,463 |
1,272 |
+15.0% |
Pakistan |
1,347 |
1,413 |
-4.7% |
United States of America |
1,124 |
942 |
+19.3% |
Singapore |
726 |
613 |
+18.4% |
Sweden |
713 |
779 |
-8.5% |
Spain |
701 |
778 |
-9.9% |
Sri Lanka |
662 |
709 |
-6.6% |
Canada |
601 |
431 |
+39.4% |
All overseas |
45,363 |
45,058 |
+0.7% |
Table 6 - Applicants who had an Area of Permanent Residence within a 'new' EU member country by country of residence and gender
Country |
2006 |
2005 |
Percent change |
Cyprus |
2,016 |
1,724 |
+16.9% |
Poland |
1,563 |
1,033 |
+51.3% |
Lithuania |
482 |
278 |
+73.4% |
Latvia |
289 |
165 |
+75.2% |
Czech Republic |
231 |
225 |
+2.7% |
Slovakia |
192 |
156 |
+23.1% |
Hungary |
175 |
158 |
+10.8% |
Estonia |
130 |
120 |
+8.3% |
Malta |
84 |
50 |
+68.0% |
Slovenia |
25 |
32 |
-21.9% |
Total |
5,187 |
3,941 |
+31.6% |
Table 7 - Acceptances by subject (all subjects)
Joint Academic Coding System (JACS) Subject Line |
Degree 2006 |
Percent change |
Foundation Degree 2006 |
Percent change |
HND 2006 |
Percent change |
M1 - Law by Area |
14,925 |
-2.0% |
30 |
22 |
||
W2 - Design studies |
13,875 |
-8.5% |
1,277 |
+13.9% |
630 |
-24.6% |
C8 - Psychology |
13,092 |
-4.6% |
30 |
15 |
||
N2 - Management studies |
11,500 |
-2.4% |
591 |
+14.1% |
1,341 |
-24.2% |
N1 - Business studies |
10,565 |
-2.8% |
444 |
358 |
||
G4 - Computer Science |
9,936 |
-7.6% |
964 |
+18.6% |
785 |
-37.4% |
Q3 - English studies |
8,863 |
-3.9% |
9 |
|||
A1 - Pre-clinical Medicine |
8,011 |
+2.5% |
||||
C6 - Sports Science |
7,744 |
-1.5% |
830 |
+12.5% |
362 |
|
L5 - Social Work |
7,698 |
+6.1% |
493 |
46 |
||
X1 - Training Teachers |
7,401 |
-5.5% |
167 |
|||
Y Combs of social studies/bus/law with arts/humanities |
7,314 |
-4.5% |
302 |
70 |
||
V1 - History by Period |
7,185 |
-6.0% |
1 |
|||
B9 - Others in Subjects allied to Medicine |
7,070 |
+3.4% |
181 |
22 |
||
NN - Combinations within Business & Admin Studies |
6,685 |
+10.7% |
349 |
208 |
||
Y Combs of languages with arts/humanities |
6,663 |
-8.6% |
||||
B7 - Nursing |
6,292 |
-0.3% |
67 |
|||
N4 - Accounting |
5,846 |
-2.1% |
28 |
5 |
||
Y Combs of science/engineering with social studies/bus/law |
5,718 |
-6.1% |
250 |
117 |
||
Z Combs of 3 subjects, or other general courses |
5,489 |
-4.6% |
3 |
|||
G1 - Mathematics |
5,411 |
+2.7% |
||||
L1 - Economics |
5,303 |
-2.8% |
||||
W4 - Drama |
5,281 |
-1.9% |
535 |
+42.3% |
329 |
|
Y Combs of science/engineering with arts/humanities/languages |
5,155 |
-0.7% |
730 |
+22.1% |
60 |
|
W6 - Cinematics and Photography |
4,961 |
-0.9% |
522 |
+20.6% |
414 |
-23.6% |
H6 - Electronic and Electrical Engineering |
4,590 |
-13.3% |
40 |
259 |
||
P3 - Media studies |
4,502 |
-8.1% |
179 |
125 |
||
X3 - Academic studies in Education |
4,430 |
+7.0% |
558 |
+18.2% |
117 |
|
H3 - Mechanical Engineering |
4,395 |
-4.3% |
156 |
74 |
||
C1 - Biology |
4,288 |
-11.7% |
40 |
13 |
||
W1 - Fine Art |
4,270 |
-9.3% |
186 |
144 |
||
L2 - Politics |
4,162 |
-4.0% |
28 |
|||
L3 - Sociology |
4,074 |
-12.6% |
6 |
37 |
||
W3 - Music |
3,957 |
-8.3% |
518 |
+39.6% |
235 |
|
B2 - Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy |
3,808 |
-2.0% |
29 |
6 |
||
K1 - Architecture |
3,615 |
-0.2% |
26 |
11 |
||
Y Combs of arts/humanities |
3,595 |
-3.0% |
130 |
51 |
||
B1 - Anatomy,Physiology and Pathology |
3,581 |
-4.0% |
||||
F1 - Chemistry |
3,581 |
+3.7% |
14 |
|||
F8 - Physical & Terrestrial Geog & Env Sci |
3,418 |
-1.8% |
49 |
15 |
||
H2 - Civil Engineering |
3,408 |
+0.6% |
41 |
106 |
||
Y Combs of phys/math science with social studies/bus/law |
3,142 |
-9.3% |
72 |
44 |
||
G5 - Information Systems |
3,036 |
-10.7% |
255 |
247 |
||
N5 - Marketing |
3,031 |
-4.8% |
117 |
44 |
||
F3 - Physics |
2,919 |
-0.1% |
5 |
|||
K2 - Building |
2,835 |
-6.3% |
176 |
460 |
||
H1 - General Engineering |
2,806 |
-0.3% |
51 |
66 |
||
Y Combs of soc studies/law with business |
2,804 |
-9.3% |
25 |
16 |
||
Y Combs of social studies/bus/law with languages |
2,722 |
-3.3% |
||||
N8 - Tourism,Transport and Travel |
2,705 |
-2.9% |
381 |
476 |
-17.6% |
|
WW - Combinations within Creative Arts and Design |
2,608 |
-0.2% |
281 |
84 |
||
L7 - Human and Social Geography |
2,461 |
-10.2% |
||||
LL - Combinations within Social Studies |
2,453 |
-6.0% |
15 |
1 |
||
Y Combs of phys/math science with arts/humanities/languages |
2,257 |
-7.3% |
148 |
105 |
||
Y Combs of med/bio/agric sciences |
2,197 |
+4.9% |
123 |
36 |
||
Y Combs of soc studies/law |
2,036 |
+1.6% |
33 |
|||
C7 - Molecular Biology,Biophysics & Biochem |
2,016 |
-11.9% |
5 |
|||
M9 - Others in Law |
1,916 |
-9.2% |
55 |
|||
P5 - Journalism |
1,841 |
-2.8% |
79 |
12 |
||
F4 - Forensic and Archaeological Science |
1,751 |
-0.8% |
88 |
31 |
||
RR - Combinations within European Langs,Lit and related |
1,724 |
-3.5% |
||||
H4 - Aerospace Engineering |
1,700 |
-2.4% |
201 |
16 |
||
B8 - Medical Technology |
1,639 |
-5.8% |
18 |
|||
Y Combs of sciences with engineering/technology |
1,489 |
-1.9% |
35 |
3 |
||
Y Combs of med/bio/agric sciences with phys/math sciences |
1,470 |
-7.4% |
88 |
|||
Y Combs of languages |
1,427 |
+2.0% |
||||
GG - Combinations within Mathematical & Computer Sci |
1,407 |
-3.8% |
68 |
17 |
||
V5 - Philosophy |
1,368 |
-2.4% |
||||
J9 - Others in Technology |
1,364 |
+15.3% |
107 |
114 |
||
H8 - Chemical,Process and Energy Engineering |
1,304 |
+8.8% |
1 |
7 |
||
F6 - Geology |
1,254 |
-4.1% |
2 |
|||
V6 - Theology and Religious studies |
1,215 |
-0.4% |
||||
VV - Combinations within Hist & Philosophical studies |
1,192 |
-14.2% |
||||
G6 - Software Engineering |
1,180 |
-2.9% |
102 |
54 |
||
M2 - Law by Topic |
1,150 |
-17.4% |
64 |
|||
A2 - Pre-clinical Dentistry |
1,114 |
-6.1% |
||||
V3 - History by Topic |
1,096 |
-11.9% |
8 |
|||
N3 - Finance |
1,069 |
-13.5% |
21 |
|||
B4 - Nutrition |
1,022 |
-2.6% |
7 |
|||
D1 - Pre-clinical Veterinary Medicine |
1,016 |
+12.5% |
||||
C3 - Zoology |
1,011 |
-2.3% |
39 |
4 |
||
K4 - Planning (Urban,Rural and Regional) |
953 |
-8.5% |
4 |
31 |
||
PP - Combinations within Mass Comms & Documentation |
929 |
+15.5% |
17 |
1 |
||
B6 - Aural and Oral Sciences |
891 |
-11.2% |
||||
Q8 - Classical studies |
869 |
-6.7% |
||||
L4 - Social Policy |
842 |
+3.1% |
100 |
79 |
||
H7 - Production and Manufacturing Engineering |
821 |
-21.1% |
2 |
7 |
||
W5 - Dance |
802 |
+8.5% |
37 |
31 |
||
D3 - Animal Science |
796 |
-2.6% |
362 |
214 |
||
F9 - Others in Physical Sciences |
732 |
-8.8% |
21 |
|||
P9 - Others in Mass Comms & Documentation |
715 |
-32.1% |
23 |
|||
T9 - Others in non-European Langs & related |
705 |
-1.5% |
||||
B5 - Ophthalmics |
698 |
-2.4% |
40 |
|||
R9 - Others in European Langs,Lit and related |
669 |
+0.8% |
||||
N6 - Human Resource Management |
655 |
-5.3% |
1 |
14 |
||
D4 - Agriculture |
648 |
-5.8% |
492 |
231 |
||
Q1 - Linguistics |
635 |
-4.2% |
||||
L0 - Social Studies: any area of study |
629 |
-10.3% |
6 |
|||
B3 - Complementary Medicine |
625 |
+36.5% |
208 |
135 |
||
L6 - Anthropology |
623 |
+1.0% |
||||
R1 - French studies |
613 |
-14.3% |
||||
HH - Combinations within Engineering |
609 |
-0.5% |
28 |
4 |
||
V4 - Archaeology |
599 |
-9.4% |
15 |
|||
QQ - Combinations within Linguistics,Classics & related |
574 |
-2.7% |
||||
Y Combs of phys/math sciences |
571 |
+4.6% |
4 |
|||
W7 - Crafts |
555 |
+7.4% |
108 |
31 |
||
T7 - American studies |
543 |
-25.6% |
||||
FF - Combinations within Physical Sciences |
527 |
-5.2% |
||||
N9 - Others in Business & Admin Studies |
488 |
-27.5% |
||||
P2 - Publicity studies |
487 |
-9.6% |
||||
C9 - Others in Biological Sciences |
483 |
|||||
C4 - Genetics |
472 |
|||||
CC - Combinations within Biological Sciences |
470 |
-15.2% |
||||
W8 - Imaginative Writing |
460 |
2 |
||||
J4 - Polymers and Textiles |
450 |
7 |
||||
D6 - Food and Beverage studies |
364 |
66 |
11 |
|||
C5 - Microbiology |
359 |
|||||
R4 - Spanish studies |
340 |
|||||
MM - Combinations within Law |
330 |
|||||
L9 - Others in Social Studies |
321 |
20 |
12 |
|||
W9 - Others in Creative Arts and Design |
284 |
87 |
2 |
|||
R2 - German studies |
263 |
|||||
R0 - European Langs,Lit & related: any area |
261 |
|||||
BB - Combinations within Subjects allied to Medicine |
260 |
42 |
||||
XX - Combinations within Education |
239 |
|||||
F0 - Physical Sciences: any area of study |
219 |
|||||
KK - Combinations within Architecture,Build & Plan |
212 |
8 |
9 |
|||
W0 - Creative Arts & Design: any area |
199 |
19 |
||||
K3 - Landscape Design |
192 |
39 |
7 |
|||
F7 - Ocean Sciences |
191 |
17 |
||||
Y Combs of engineering/technology |
189 |
2 |
||||
G3 - Statistics |
173 |
|||||
J5 - Materials Technology not otherwise spec |
171 |
10 |
13 |
|||
P4 - Publishing |
153 |
3 |
||||
F5 - Astronomy |
146 |
|||||
G0 - Mathematical & Comp Sci: any area |
144 |
|||||
Q5 - Celtic studies |
144 |
|||||
H5 - Naval Architecture |
136 |
9 |
||||
V0 - Hist & Philosophical studies: any area |
135 |
|||||
J6 - Maritime Technology |
133 |
12 |
2 |
|||
T2 - Japanese studies |
130 |
|||||
P1 - Information Services |
124 |
|||||
T1 - Chinese studies |
122 |
|||||
T6 - Modern Middle-Eastern studies |
117 |
|||||
Y Combs of engin/tech/building studies |
115 |
7 |
19 |
|||
Q2 - Comparative Literary studies |
112 |
|||||
H0 - Engineering: any area of study |
107 |
2 |
||||
Q9 - Others in Linguistics,Classics & related |
107 |
|||||
N0 - Business & Admin studies: any area |
96 |
2 |
||||
V9 - Others in Hist & Philosophical studies |
95 |
|||||
J7 - Industrial Biotechnology |
94 |
1 |
||||
V2 - History by Area |
92 |
|||||
R7 - Russian and East European studies |
75 |
|||||
G7 - Artificial Intelligence |
73 |
|||||
R3 - Italian studies |
68 |
|||||
G2 - Operational Research |
63 |
1 |
||||
G9 - Others in Mathematical & Computer Sci |
55 |
4 |
||||
D5 - Forestry |
52 |
72 |
3 |
|||
K9 - Others in Architecture,Build & Plan |
38 |
1 |
||||
J1 - Minerals Technology |
37 |
|||||
C2 - Botany |
30 |
|||||
J2 - Metallurgy |
27 |
|||||
X9 - Others in Education |
27 |
220 |
4 |
|||
T3 - South Asian studies |
25 |
|||||
D9 - Others in Vet Sci,Ag & related subjects |
24 |
|||||
T5 - African studies |
24 |
|||||
DD - Combinations within Vet Sci,Ag & related subjects |
23 |
|||||
A9 - Others in Medicine and Dentistry |
22 |
|||||
D2 - Clinical Veterinary Medicine & Dentistry |
22 |
|||||
TT - Combinations within non-European Langs & related |
20 |
|||||
Q4 - Ancient Language studies |
17 |
|||||
N7 - Office Skills |
14 |
|||||
D7 - Agricultural Sciences |
13 |
7 |
||||
H9 - Others in Engineering |
13 |
|||||
R6 - Scandinavian studies |
13 |
|||||
JJ - Combinations within Technology |
9 |
|||||
K0 - Architecture,Build & Plan: any area |
8 |
|||||
T4 - Other Asian studies |
7 |
|||||
Q6 - Latin studies |
5 |
|||||
D0 - Vet Sci,Ag & related: any area of study |
4 |
|||||
F2 - Materials Science |
3 |
|||||
R5 - Portuguese studies |
3 |
|||||
C0 - Biological Sciences: any area of study |
2 |
|||||
J3 - Ceramics and Glass |
1 |
|||||
Q7 - Classical Greek studies |
1 |
|||||
X2 - Research and Study Skills in Education |
1 |
|||||
Total |
366,230 |
-3.8% |
14,385 |
+16.8% |
8,890 |
-24.7% |
Table 7 Notes
Note that first degree, Diploma of Higher Education, university diploma and some social work postgraduate and part time degrees are accounted for under 'Degree'.
Percentage change is not shown if both the number of 2006 acceptances AND the number of 2005 acceptances is less than 500.
Press Contacts:
Byron Price, Communications Executive
Tel: 01242 544987
Email: communications@ucas.ac.uk
Mobile: 07768 740 461
Notes to editors
UCAS is the organisation responsible for managing applications to UK higher education courses.
A UCAS spokesperson is available for interview.
Further information on the application process, Clearing and Clearing statistics are on the UCAS website.
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