A record number of 18-year-olds from deprived areas have applied to the most selective universities and courses, according to newly released data from Ucas.
The university admissions service has published its application data for courses with an early October deadline – which includes medicine, dentistry and veterinary degrees, as well as courses at Oxford and Cambridge.
The data showed that 3,160 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as coming from an area of the UK in the bottom 20% for the proportion of young people participating in higher education, had applied for these courses.
This figure was up 7% from 2,950 applicants during last year’s admissions cycle.
The interim chief executive of Ucas, Sander Kristel, said it was “encouraging” to see students from the most disadvantaged areas “aiming high with their choices for next year”.
There was also a 6% increase in UK-domiciled applicants declaring receipt of free school meals, which Ucas said was in the context of rising numbers of pupils in England receiving them.
In total, 39,310 18-year-olds from the UK applied by the October 16 deadline, the second highest number on record.
However, there was an 18% decrease in the total number of 19-year-old UK applicants – to 5,580 from 6,770 last year.
