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Why it’s time for everyone to ‘think international’ 

Tue 30 May 2023 - 14:02

By Des Cutchey, International Development Lead, and Carys Willgoss, Principal Policy Adviser in International

Last Friday saw the 2023 update to UK Government’s International Education Strategy (IES) – a plan set in motion back in 2019 to support the global activities of our education sector. With the third tranche of UCAS’ Journey to a Million essay collection also released this month, which includes the projection that international undergraduate applicants will see a 60% increase by 2030, it is a timely opportunity to take stock.

Looking back to look forward

Much has happened since 2019, not least...


The influence of cost of living on student decision making

Thu 13 April 2023 - 10:49

By Jo Richards, Senior Insight Lead, UCAS in Money

The cost of living is the topic at the top of everyone’s minds over the past year, and likely to be with us for a while. Students are one particular group that have been affected by rise of cost of living the most, and as prices of rent and food have gone up against a backdrop of maintenance loans being lower in real terms compared with 2021, Universities UK issued a stark warning in December 2022 that “…[students] risk becoming the ‘forgotten group’ in the cost of living crisis.”1 But what about students who have recently submitted their UCAS application for September 2023 entry - what impact has the cost of living had on the decisions they’ve made over the past year? We surveyed and listened to students throughout the 2023 cycle to find out how cost of living factors were influencing the decisions they had made, and those...


Student Lifestyle Report 2023 - Media & Social

Thu 13 April 2023 - 10:52

By Nicola McClymont, Customer Success Director, Legal & Security in Money

If you haven’t already signed up, you can register to receive for Chapter 3 here, before the full report is published in April.

When I first joined UCAS, social media was in its infancy and streaming didn’t really exist en-masse.

Netflix was still years off its UK release and AOL had just bought Bebo for $850 million. Bebo!

But even then, we knew that these were two industries heading for lofty heights – especially amongst the increasingly online-centric student market. It was Millennials who took us into an age of digital nativism, but it’s Gen Z who have really embodied that term.

Since then, online media of all kinds has exploded. We’ve watched Facebook unseat MySpace, to then be dethroned itself by Instagram. We’ve seen mail order subscription services transform from door-to-door sales into two clicks of a button. And streaming has gone from cat-video-watching to Oscar-winning films...


Student Lifestyle Survey - Lifestyle & Spending

Tue 4 April 2023 - 09:28

By Lavina Chainani, Customer Success Director, Student Lifestyle, UCAS in Money

If you haven’t already signed up, you can register to receive for Chapter 2 here, before the full report is published in April.

Having taught, and later worked behind-the-scenes at universities and colleges, I’ve got a good grip on the way the student experience works from both sides of the fence. When they work in synergy – with providers providing and students studying – we see real societal benefits.

And when students enjoy their course and have fun alongside it, they emerge as highly valuable and well-rounded adults. There’s nothing quite like the intelligent, curious, pragmatic graduate that we’ve seen coming through the Gen Z ranks over the past few years.

Which is why it’s so important to protect and support their lifestyles during this cost of living increase. The money they spend during their studies not only contributes massively to the economy, but it also teaches them as much about...


Student Lifestyle Report 2023 - The cost of living

Thu 30 March 2023 - 12:46

By Ollie Wells in Money

You can get your hands on a copy here, before the whole report is published next month.

Having spent 15 years working in education, accommodation, and insurance – I’ve seen plenty of market forces at work first hand. From the 2008 recession and recovery, to the 2016 referendum, 2020’s pandemic, and now 2022’s war in Ukraine plus a cost-of-living increase – we’ve been through a lot.

But if there’s one thing I’ve seen stay steady throughout, it’s the modern student.

Somehow the most resilient, elastic, determined, and buoyant demographic of us all  – they’ve been reliable stalwarts of spending. Spurred on by the necessary purchases of study and a commitment to live life to the full, they’re valuable customers to brands at home and abroad. I know it personally, as a proud member of the University of Wales’ Class of ‘08, and I know it professionally, having worked with young people for...


Where did the first ever cohort of T Level students progress to?

Thu 9 February 2023 - 15:39

By Ben Jordan, Head of Policy, UCAS in Higher education

The introduction of T Levels marked a major landmark in qualification history, with the first ever cohort completing the brand-new technical qualification last year. Like their A level peers, about 1,000 students opened their results last August to discover their overall achievement, so it is right that we have a specific day in National Apprenticeship Week celebrating their successes.

T Levels mark the most significant change to the qualification landscape since the decoupling of the AS in 2015. T Levels, and the Post-16 review, are changing the shape of England’s vocational and technical education offer, and it is vital that all stakeholders – schools, colleges, universities, employers and training providers – understand what these reforms mean for the future pipeline of students.

These reforms sit within broader changes that have been seen over the last few years, including the introduction of Higher Technical Qualifications and Degree Apprenticeships. In...


Lessons from the Netherlands and UK – why it’s important to look outwards

Fri 3 February 2023 - 14:48

By Haleema Masud, Policy Adviser, UCAS & Dr Sebastiaan Steenman, Associate Professor, Utrecht University in Higher education

Even though the Netherlands and United Kingdom can be considered close neighbouring countries, separated only by 84 miles of sea, the respective higher education (HE) systems are remarkably different. Ongoing research on the feasibility of a Dutch joint admissions service, a ‘UCAS for the Netherlands’ gave us the opportunity to reflect on the commonalities and differences in the higher education systems of the two countries.  

Many of the challenges are the same

The skills gap is an ongoing challenge for both the UK and the Netherlands – in both cases, evidence suggests there is an insufficient supply of the skills required by employers. T Levels were introduced in the UK recently with the aim to meet the needs of industry and to prepare students for entry into skilled employment. This year, the first cohort of T Levels received their results with over 400 (80%) of those applying through UCAS accepted onto a course....


The individuality of student choice

Mon 30 January 2023 - 09:13

By Carys Willgoss, Principal Policy Adviser, UCAS in Student choice

The chance to go to university or begin a traineeship or apprenticeship is one of the biggest decisions an individual will make. It’s not just a big financial investment, but a period of major emotional and psychological upheaval. So, what’s behind this decision? To what extent do factors such as employability, the chance to develop skills, and wellbeing metrics influence applicants’ behaviour? And how do individual perceptions of value affect decision-making? Here’s what we learnt from a survey of around 20,000 applicants applying through UCAS for undergraduate study in 2022.

Value matters to students, but is a highly subjective concept

Upfront we learn that it is ‘extremely important’ or ‘important’ to more than nine in 10 individuals that their course is ‘good value’. Moreover, the proportion of applicants who say value is ‘extremely important’ increases with age – 75% for those aged 25 and over, relative to 62% for 18-year-olds – reflecting the magnitude of...


Making informed HE choices without support from your family

Thu 26 January 2023 - 08:32

By Susan Darlington, Partnership Assistant at Go Higher West Yorkshire in Widening access and participation

Making decisions about the next steps on your higher education (HE) journey can be an exciting time, filled with the possibility of studying a new subject, moving to a new city, and making new friends.

But if you have no contact with your close family members – you're estranged due to an irreconcilable breakdown in your relationship with them - and are living independently, it can be a time of great uncertainty. Without the financial, emotional and practical support of a family network it can be challenging to negotiate travelling to open days, securing accommodation, and applying for student finance. Reaching out for help can also feel daunting when faced with the stigma of estrangement.

Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) understands these can be significant challenges to face on your own, which is why we produced the country's very first collaborative Stand Alone Pledge.

The...


Progression to HE for Welsh Domiciled Students - what did UCAS learn in 2022?

Thu 19 January 2023 - 11:11

By Haleema Masud, Policy Adviser, UCAS in Higher education

Progression into higher education (HE) and training is a major life event for students, with qualifications the currency. That’s why UCAS responded to the recent consultation on GCSE reform by Qualifications Wales. Doing so gave us an opportunity to highlight our engagement this year with Welsh students and providers, as reflected in our end of cycle data for 2022 HE applications.

With students sitting exams for the first time since 2019, a record number applied for universities and colleges in the UK in 2022. This blog shares key insights from that data, and from our consultation response.

Highlights from the 2022 applications cycle

As the gateway to UK HE, UCAS has been supporting students and providers in Wales in making informed choices for 30...


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