million+ comments on Provisional UCAS figures for 2009 University Entry
The university think-tank million+ has called on the Government and the Funding Council to withdraw threats to clawback money from universities in a record-breaking year for university applications in the UK.
Provisional figures released by the Universities Admissions Service, UCAS, today (21 October), confirm that 477,277 applicants have been accepted to university in 2009 and that 47,000 found places through clearing. This is almost 60,000 more than in 2007 and over 25,000 more than in 2008.
Pam Tatlow Chief Executive of the university think-tank million+ said “If universities had not been prepared to take an additional 10,000 students for whom the Government provided student support but not teaching costs it is clear that many more applicants would have been disappointed. The Government and the Funding Council should now withdraw their threat to fine universities which have over-recruited students in what has been a record-breaking year.
Much more work needs to be done to identify the number of students who could not find a university place on the course of their choice and have deferred their applications until next year. The Government has only allowed an additional 3000 new funded places in 2010. The 2009 figures already show that this is very unlikely to be enough.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- million+ is a leading university think-tank, working to solve the complex problems in higher education. www.millionplus.ac.uk
- The UCAS provisional figures for 2009 can be found here: www.ucas.ac.uk/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2009/2009-10-21
- For more information and interviews please contact Pam Tatlow on 0207 7171655 or 07795 645241