Teenagers have a golden chance of a place at a good university as applications have fallen for the second year running.
Concern over student debt and jobs for graduates are partly blamed for the decline.
But a record 100,000 pupils took maths A-level in England this year – and maths, computing and science are the most popular university degrees.
Science author Simon Singh said this shows sixth-formers now see maths as a path to a good degree and high-paid job.
By the end of June, 41.9 per cent of 18-year-olds applied for a university place, compared with 42.1 per cent in 2023 and 44.1 per cent in 2022 – the first time there have been consecutive annual falls.
Concerns over job prospects is among factors behind a fall in applications for university (file photo)
Pictured: Oxford University. By the end of June, 41.9 per cent of 18-year-olds applied for a university place, compared with 42.1 per cent in 2023 and 44.1 per cent in 2022
Jo Saxton, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas), said more places would be available through clearing, including on usually oversubscribed courses like medicine and at prestigious Russell Group universities.
She said demand for university places was ‘going backwards’ in parts of the country after years of increases.
‘It’s a really good year to be applying to university,’ she told The Sunday Times.
Mark Corver, founder of consultancy dataHE, said: ‘Youngsters with lower-to-average grades have record chances of getting an offer this year.’
Maths was the most popular A-level in England this summer, with 11.4 per cent more pupils taking it than in 2023.
Psychology, biology and chemistry were the most popular A-level choices after maths.
English A-level was the most popular until 2014. But this year only 56,745 pupils took it. The trend is reflected in universities reducing their arts and humanities courses.
Jo Saxton, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas), said more places would be available through clearing, including courses at prestigious Russell Group universities
Students are turning to maths as a path to a good degree and highly paid job, with 100,000 taking it for A-level (file photo)
Ucas also revealed stark regional differences in numbers starting university last year.
Only 13 per cent of 18-year-olds from Barrow-in-Furness started degrees last year, compared with 70 per cent of 18-year-olds from Wimbledon.
The number of overseas students applying for UK degree courses fell by 1.4 per cent, the first decline in eight years.
