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According to new figures released by UCAS following the January deadline for university applications, 20,710 Scottish school leavers have applied to a Scottish university this application cycle, equating to 300 additional applicants. Furthermore, the proportion of Scottish 18 year olds applying to university from the most deprived areas has risen to 21.1%, up 0.5 percentage points from last year and up 3.3 percentage points from 2020.
The figures also show that Scotland remains an attractive proposition for students from other parts of the UK and from international markets. Applications from students from the other UK nations have risen by 8.4% since last year and by more than a third compared with two years ago. Meanwhile there has been an increase of 11.6% in applicants from non-EU countries since 2021.
Martin Boyle, Director of Policy, Insight and Analytics said:
“As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic we are delighted to see that our world-leading universities remain attractive to students both at home and from overseas.
“Given the specific challenges of the last two years, it is particularly encouraging to see an increase in the proportion of 18 year olds from our most deprived areas applying to university which is testament to the work of universities across the country in widening access.”