UCAS end of cycle data for 2022, published today (Thursday 8 December), shows record numbers of 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged areas in the UK (POLAR4 quintile 1) have been accepted onto a course – 32,420 students compared to 30,910 last year (+4.9%).
This narrows the entry rate gap between the most and least advantaged to 2.1 – a record low.
Throughout 2022, UCAS communicated how competitive the cycle would be compared to recent years, particularly following unprecedented progression during Covid-19 – but highlighted how student confidence still remained high.
Growth in demand for places has not discouraged UK 18-year-olds, with 330,780 applicants this year – up from 315,945 in 2021 (+4.7%) and significantly higher than the pre-pandemic number of 280,815 in 2019 (+17.8%). This uptick has translated into 277,315 UK 18-year-olds gaining a place, the highest-ever number to date – an increase on 275,235 in 2021 (+0.8%) and 241,515 in 2019 (+14.8%).
This took place against a backdrop of more cautious offer-making from universities and colleges, leading to a 54.3% overall offer rate at higher tariff institutions, down from 59.7% last year.
