- The number of UK 18-year-old applicants by 30 June has reached a record high of 328,390, up 2.2% compared to the same point last year.
- Overall, the total number of applicants has risen to 665,070, a 1.3% increase on 2024.
- There have been 138,460 international undergraduate applicants through UCAS, an increase of 2.2% compared to the same point last year.
- 94.5% of all students who applied before the January deadline are going into the results period having received at least one offer from a university or college.
The number of UK-18-year-olds applying for an undergraduate course by the 30 June deadline has reached a record high, new UCAS data shows.
This year, 328,390 UK 18-year-olds have applied through UCAS by the 30 June deadline, up from 321,410 (+2.2%) in 2024. This puts the application rate (the proportion of the 18-year-old population who applied) at 41.2% — down slightly from 41.9% last year. Overall, the total number of applicants (all ages, all domiciles) has risen to 665,070 this year, up from 656,760 (+1.3%) in 2024.
The 30 June deadline marks the last point in the undergraduate admissions cycle when applicants can make up to five choices; after this point all new applications are automatically entered into Clearing.
Alongside the 30 June application data, UCAS is also releasing a separate report into offer-making by universities and colleges, as it continues to increase transparency around the admissions process. The report shows both the number of offers made by universities and colleges, and the offer rate (the percentage of applications which received an offer) for applicants who applied before the January Equal Consideration deadline.
This analysis shows universities and colleges have made just over 2 million offers for undergraduate study this year, a record high and an increase of 3.8% compared to last year. This means that 94.5% of all students who applied before the January deadline are going into the results period having received at least one offer.
Overall, the number of offers made to 18-year-old applicants has risen by 3.6% compared to last year. The offer rate is highest for UK 18-year-old applicants at 80.0%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared to last year.
For international undergraduate applicants via UCAS, while there has been a 10.7% increase in the number of offers made to those outside of the EU, their offer rate is the lowest at 63.5%. It should be noted that UCAS data represents a partial view of undergraduate international admissions. Other key points from today’s undergraduate applicant data include:
- While the number of UK 18-year-olds applicants has increased, there has been a decrease in demand from UK mature students (aged 21+) - 86,310 have applied, down from 89,690 in 2024 (-3.8%).
- Figures also show an increase in the number of applicants from all nations in the UK, except for Wales, which has seen a decline of 0.6%. The number of applicants from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have increased by 1.1%, 1.3% and 1.5%, respectively.
- The number of international students applying to undergraduate studies at UK universities and colleges via UCAS has also increased by 2.2% (up from 135,460 in 2024, to 138,460 in 2025). In particular, today’s data shows a new record number of applicants from China, up by 10% (30,860 in 2024, up to 33,870 applicants), as well as year-on-year increases in applicants from Ireland (+15%), Nigeria (+23%) and the USA (+14%).
- STEM subjects remain top of mind for UK 18-year-olds - the number of applications to study Engineering and technology is up +13% (from 105,590 in 2024 to 118,840 in 2025) while Mathematical sciences is up +6% (from 32,320 in 2024 to 34,330 in 2025).
- The number of disadvantaged 18-year-olds who applied from throughout the UK has increased. The number of 18-year-old applicants from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in IMD/WIMD/SIMD/NIMDM Quintiles 1 have all increased (+1.5%, +4.3%, +5.2% and +1.6% respectively).
Dr Jo Saxton CBE, Chief Executive at UCAS said: “The record number of UK 18-year-old applicants, and record number of offers being made to prospective undergraduate students reflects real confidence in the higher education sector. It’s great to see young people eager to take the next step in their educational and career journey, and universities and colleges committed to welcoming them.
"In the run-up to results day, I'd like to remind students and their families to remember that while the vast majority of applicants secure their first choice each year, it’s always worth having a plan B. My advice is to begin by revisiting all of your original five choices on your UCAS application as your starting point.
“Whether you have already applied, or are still considering beginning your studies at university or college this year, UCAS is here to support you every step of the way.”
View today’s figures in our interactive dashboard
ENDS
Notes to editors
UCAS’ 30 June deadline
All applications, sent to UCAS by 18:00 BST (UK time) on this day, are sent on to the chosen universities or colleges. Applications received after 30 June will automatically be entered into Clearing.
International applicant figures
UCAS data represents those who make their application to undergraduate programmes within UK higher education via the UCAS scheme. Not all international undergraduate applicants apply via UCAS. UCAS’ international applicant data also does not include pre-degree, postgraduate taught or postgraduate research pathways. As such, this data provides a partial view of the overall UK higher education admissions landscape.
Additional insight
June application deadline: additional data on offers
June application deadline: additional data on offers data files
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UCAS
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is an independent charity, and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education.
UCAS’ services support young people making post-18 choices, as well as mature learners, by providing information, advice, and guidance to inspire and facilitate educational progression to university, college, or an apprenticeship.
UCAS manages almost three million applications, from around 700,000 people each year, for full-time undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges across the UK.
UCAS is committed to delivering a first-class service to all our beneficiaries — they're at the heart of everything we do.