The entry rate for UK 18-year-olds has fallen by a record amount, according to Ucas figures, with more worrying signs for the sector also seen in the declining number of international students.
Figures from the Ucas End of Cycle Data release show that the overall entry rate for 18-year-olds across the UK fell from 37.5 per cent last year to 35.8 per cent in 2023.
This fall of 1.7 percentage points is the largest since comparable records began in 2006, and almost twice as big as any previous drop – even though clearing was busier than ever.
Experts had previously warned that a second successive fall in the entry rate could threaten the stability of the sector.
