Record 40% of London school leavers head off to university

Pic:More than 60,000 students were accepted on to courses from their A-level results ( PA )
Educational reporter(wp/es):

More teenagers in London are going to university this year than ever before, new figures reveal.

More than 40 per cent of 18-year-old Londoners have been accepted on to university and college courses, which is the highest proportion in the country and up by almost 10 per cent on the national average.

Overall in England 33.5 per cent of the 18-year-old population have been accepted on to courses. But in London the figure is 42.4 per cent.

Nationally fewer people are starting university this year compared to last due to a lower birthrate in 2000 than previous years. However, the proportion choosing to go on to higher education has increased.

London’s 18-year-olds beat this average as both the number and percentage of course applicants has risen. There are 770 more people about to start university and college than in 2017, bringing the total number of new Londoner students to 39,130.

This is despite universities in England charging tuition fees of up to £9,250 this year and possible future rises. If they are given a good rating by the Teaching Excellence Framework universities could raise fees in line with inflation from 2020.

Clare Marchant, Ucas chief executive, said: “As many students are enjoying freshers’ weeks across the country, meeting new faces, and settling into university life, this year’s admissions cycle is nearly complete.”

More than 60,000 students were accepted on to courses through clearing­ — the process through which universities fill their places after A-level results have been released. This is the highest figure on record.

There was fierce competition among universities to attract students because a  drop in applications created a “buyers’ market”.

There is no cap on the number of students a university or college can admit.

Students starting university this year took tough new A-level exams with no coursework or modules. They were the first cohort to sit final exams at the end of two years in most subjects.

As a result the number of A* grades dropped to the lowest level since 2013 and the overall pass rate was the lowest since 2010.

The number of EU students accepted on to courses has increased by two per cent compared to last year. There is also a record number of international students from outside the EU starting at British universities this term.

Ms Marchant said: “The enduring global appeal of studying an undergraduate degree in the UK is clear from the growth in international students with a confirmed place.”
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