A total of 61,280 UK mature students (aged 21-plus) applied for undergraduate places in UK institutions by the January deadline – down 6.4% on the same point last year, according to data by the university admissions service.
She added: “It’s particularly welcome news to see that global confidence in the UK’s higher education sector remains strong, with an increase in international undergraduate applicants via Ucas to UK universities and colleges in 2025.”.
The number of applicants to nursing, midwifery and teacher training courses in the UK has also dropped compared to January last year, the data shows.
The number of UK mature applicants to nursing courses has fallen by 12.1% in a year – from 14,340 to 12,610, Ucas figures show.
The number of mature students applying for a place on a higher education course in the UK has fallen, Ucas figures show.
