University applications up despite fees

LONDON, Feb 14 (Reuters) The number of students applying for university and college places has reached record levels, dispelling fears that top-up fees may have had an adverse affect, figures showed today.

The number of students applying for full-time undergraduate courses rose 6.4 per cent from 371,683 in 2006 to 395,307 this year starting in September, said UCAS, the organisation that manages applications.

Applications from England rose 7.1 per cent to 291,075, while applicants from Scotland were up 0.9 per cent and Northern Ireland 3 percent. Wales saw a drop of 0.1 per cent.

Numbers from overseas students were up 10.9 per cent to 45,644 for the same period.

Cyprus (26.9 percent), Poland (28.1 percent) and Lithuania (29.3 percent) showed the biggest percentage jumps, but Ireland, China and Hong Kong still send the largest number of students to UK universities and colleges.

Evidence showed students are opting for more career-orientated courses, with applications for business and administration courses up 25 percent on last year to 45,061.

Tourism, transport and travel leapt more than 30 percent to 12,371 while finance jumped 20 percent to 5,545.

Traditional subjects such as languages and maths also had a strong showing.

There had been fears that last year's introduction of 3,000 pounds annual top-up fee for England's students, paid after graduation, may have put off some.

Applications fell 3 percent last year, but the trend does not seem to have continued.

Education Minister Bill Rammell said: ''The small downturn we saw last year, which we always anticipated, has been strongly reversed this year.

''Tuition fees are not putting students off applying to university as many predicted.'' NUS President Gemma Tumelty said ''it is imperative that UCAS release further information regarding applications from students from under-represented and debt-averse backgrounds''.

''This is the real litmus test of the impact of top up fees -- a drop in this group would be extremely serious even in the context of an overall increase.'' Reuters KD GC1955