Almost one-in-three applicants (30%) will start university this September with a history of missing education due to their mental health, according to the Unite Students 2023 Applicant Index.
Figures from the UK’s only index which asks students about their lives before they attend university and tracks cohorts’ changing attitudes, highlight that nearly 154,000* applicants looking to enrol in UK universities this September were absent from lessons at schools, colleges and sixth forms in the last two years due to their mental health.
One in 14, a total of almost 37,000*, missed more than 20 days due to mental health, the results show.
Despite this, applicants are more resilient this year, compared to last. This year’s applicants are also clearer about their future goals and more likely to take on short-term discomfort for long-term gain.
