UCAS Media Release

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 21 October 2009

Provisional final figures for 2009

Following a record-breaking processing year for applications, the provisional final figures for the
number of students being accepted into university or college has now been released by UCAS;
477,277 applicants have now had a place confirmed at a university or college this year, an increase of
25,406 (5.6%) on the same point last year.

Virginia Isaac, Acting Chief Executive at UCAS said: “This year has been unprecedented in many
respects. Significantly increased applications and far more students being accepted at a university or
college than ever before. In particular we have seen a notable increase - of 10.1% - in acceptances of
students aged 25 and over.”

Analysis shows that acceptances are being made with a long term view of the marketplace,
countering the challenges certain industries are facing in the current economic climate. Increases in
acceptances for degree subjects such as journalism (+15.7%), nursing (+20.0%) and business related
courses are contrasting against those that are falling. Those linked with linguistics skills are
particularly noticeable in their decline.

Many of the science, technology, engineering and maths related subjects, where the Government has
made recent investment, have seen an increase in acceptances.

Virginia said “The electronic systems supporting Confirmation and Clearing worked particularly
smoothly this year, placing students more quickly than in previous years. UCAS is now well placed to
develop the service should external circumstances demand it.”

“This year we saw a considerable increase in the number of students accepted through Clearing. This
confounded predictions that additional places would be limited.”

A new feature this year was Adjustment. Each year some applicants pass their exams with better
results than expected, exceeding the conditions of their firm choice. The five-day window allowed over
380 students to find an alternative place.

Over 40% of applicants had the opportunity to use the scheme. Of a total of 3,600 registrations, 384
were placed in their Adjustment choice, 2,355 reconfirmed with their original choice and 444 were
placed in another choice (main scheme, Extra or Clearing). 417 of those who registered were not
placed.
Virginia continues: “The new Adjustment process operated smoothly. While only a
small number of applicants utilised the service, it gave students, particularly those
with more vocational qualifications, the chance to review their options within a
secure framework”

Table 1 - Applicant statistics - 55 days after the release of A level results

2009 2008 2007

Applicants accepted (1)

- having unconditional or confirmed conditional offers 429,705 408,726 373,494
- having found a place in Clearing 47,188 43,145 38,477
- having been placed using Adjustment 384 0 0
-Total number of accepted applicants 477,277 451,871 411,971

Applicants with a non-Clearing outcome pending

- decision from institution or applicant reply 1,987 2,804 2,023

Applicants currently eligible for Clearing

- no offers, conditions not met, applied very late 139,520 114,009 103,324

Applicants withdrawn from scheme (2) 14,808 13,973 14,580

Total number of applicants 633,592 582,657 531,898

Days from publication of GCE results : 55 55 55

14/10/0 08/10/0
Comparison date (3) 9 8 10/10/07
Number of institutions within UCAS membership receiving
applications 304 306 322

Table 1 notes
• Includes those deferring entry to the following year. (Applicants are counted in the year in
which they apply, not the year in which they intend to begin their course.)
• Includes those withdrawn after accepting an offer.
• Comparisons with previous years are made relative to the publication of Advanced level
results (20 August 2009, 14 August 2008 and 16 August 2007). For example, figures for
Wednesday 14 October 2009, fifty five days after this year's publication date, will be
compared with those for Wednesday 08 October 2008 and Wednesday 10 October 2007.

Table 2: Acceptances from applicants by age group and gender

 Year Male Female Total
20 years and under 2009 167,169 197,721 364,890
2008 158,155 190,896 349,051
%
change 5.7% 3.6% 4.5%
21 to 24 years 2009 28,235 29,682 57,917
2008 26,161 27,178 53,339
%
change 7.9% 9.2% 8.6%
25 years and over 2009 20,310 34,160 54,470
2008 18,261 31,220 49,481
%
change 11.2% 9.4% 10.1%
Total 2009 215,714 261,563 477,277
2008 202,577 249,294 451,871
%
change 6.5% 4.9% 5.6%

Table 3: Acceptances by age and UK country

Country of residence
Northern
England Wales Scotland Ireland Total
20 years and 2009 277,045 15,369 21,887 11,643 325,944
under 2008 266,540 14,257 20,929 11,468 313,194
%
change 3.9% 7.8% 4.6% 1.5% 4.1%
21 to 24 years 2009 38,702 2,257 3,545 1,275 45,779
2008 35,439 1,916 3,353 1,216 41,924
%
change 9.2% 17.8% 5.7% 4.9% 9.2%
25 years and 2009 43,543 2,604 3,547 709 50,403
over 2008 39,100 2,102 3,229 765 45,196
%
change 11.4% 23.9% 9.8% -7.3% 11.5%
Total 2009 359,290 20,230 28,979 13,627 422,126
2008 341,079 18,275 27,511 13,449 400,314
%
change 5.3% 10.7% 5.3% 1.3% 5.4%

Table 4: Acceptances by area of domicile and country of accepting institution

Area of Permanent Country of institution Total

 Northern
Residence England Wales Scotland Ireland
England 2009
344,508 9,724 4,783 275 359,290
2008 327,971 8,423 4,411 274 341,079
%
change 5.0% 15.4% 8.4% 0.4% 5.3%
Wales 2009 5,692 14,393 132 13 20,230
2008 5,492 12,664 109 10 18,275
%
change 3.6% 13.7% 21.1% 30.0% 10.7%
Scotland 2009 1,715 52 27,194 18 28,979
2008 1,768 67 25,654 22 27,511
%
change -3.0% -22.4% 6.0% -18.2% 5.3%
Northern 2009 3,126 117 1,079 9,305 13,627
Ireland 2008 3,223 109 1,104 9,013 13,449
%
change -3.0% 7.3% -2.3% 3.2% 1.3%
Rep. of 2009 1,377 251 781 447 2,856
Ireland 2008 1,285 200 727 411 2,623
%
change 7.2% 25.5% 7.4% 8.8% 8.9%
Other EU 2009 16,128 830 3,550 20 20,528
2008 14,864 620 3,044 29 18,557
%
change 8.5% 33.9% 16.6% -31.0% 10.6%
Non EU 2009 27,381 1,128 3,171 87 31,767
2008 25,773 1,035 3,502 67 30,377
%
change 6.2% 9.0% -9.5% 29.9% 4.6%
Total 2009 399,927 26,495 40,690 10,165 477,277
2008 380,376 23,118 38,551 9,826 451,871
%
change 5.1% 14.6% 5.5% 3.5% 5.6%

Table 5: Acceptances by overseas country (> 600 Acceptances only)

Percent
Country 2009 2008 change
China 6,073 5,969 1.7%
France 2,956 2,565 15.2%
Ireland 2,856 2,623 8.9%
Cyprus 2,612 2,329 12.2%
Hong 2,562 2,611 -1.9%
Kong
Malaysia 2,382 2,033 17.2%
Germany 2,380 2,197 8.3%
India 1,744 1,714 1.8%
Nigeria 1,576 1,813 -13.1%
Greece 1,538 1,660 -7.3%
Bulgaria 1,264 821 54.0%
Poland 1,196 1,500 -20.3%
Singapore 1,196 977 22.4%
United 1,168 1,190 -1.8%
States of
America
Pakistan 1,068 1,365 -21.8%
Norway 955 779 22.6%
Canada 906 789 14.8%
Romania 896 622 44.1%
Lithuania 891 689 29.3%
Italy 871 695 25.3%
Spain 841 714 17.8%
Sweden 807 785 2.8%
Saudi 753 526 43.2%
Arabia
All 55,151 51,557 7.0%
overseas

Table 6: Acceptances by subject (all subjects)

Foun
Joint Academic Perce d. Perce Perce
Coding System nt degre nt nt
(JACS 2) Subject Degre chang e chang Other chang
Line e 2009 e 2009 e 2009 e
M1 - Law by Area 17,346 1.7% 32 24
W2 - Design studies 16,674 5.5% 1,796 8.4% 344
C8 - Psychology 15,327 3.4% 44 26
G4 - Computer 11,328 7.0% 1,000 8.0% 715 -0.8%
Science
N2 - Management 10,708 -4.1% 382 886 0.2%
studies
N1 - Business studies 10,597 3.4% 668 34.4% 555 23.3%
Q3 - English studies 10,374 5.4% 16 12
NN - Combinations 10,311 11.4% 539 58.5% 227
within Business &
Admin Studies
C6 - Sports Science 9,274 3.9% 1,085 19.2% 424
Y Combs of social 8,677 8.4% 921 40.0% 86
studies/bus/law with
arts/humanities
B7 - Nursing 8,600 20.0% 297 16,11 15.8%
0
V1 - History by Period 8,510 5.0% 1 11
A1 - Pre-clinical 7,967 -0.6%
Medicine
Y Combs of languages 7,800 4.8% 16
with arts/humanities
X1 - Training Teachers 7,624 0.9% 320 63
L5 - Social Work 7,590 6.2% 1,192 25.5% 1,709 2.6%
N8 - Hospitality, 7,323 8.4% 1,313 19.5% 626 -2.6%
Leisure, Tourism and
Transport
B9 - Others in Subjects 7,188 10.7% 448 899 33.8%
allied to Medicine
L1 - Economics 7,058 2.8%
G1 - Mathematics 6,908 7.6%
W6 - Cinematics and 6,448 11.0% 1,050 27.7% 202
Photography
N4 - Accounting 6,382 3.1% 96 40
Y Combs of 6,379 9.4% 1,450 31.2% 152
science/engineering
with
arts/humanities/langua
ges
W4 - Drama 6,353 4.7% 694 13.8% 415
X3 - Academic studies 6,228 8.3% 804 -0.7% 54
in Education
Y Combs of 5,833 -3.7% 441 91
science/engineering
with social
studies/bus/law
H3 - Mechanical 5,757 11.9% 338 104
Engineering
Z Combs of 3 subjects, 5,229 -0.2% 3 43
or other general
courses
L2 - Politics 5,195 9.4% 42
P3 - Media studies 5,141 8.0% 348 66
L3 - Sociology 4,760 4.0% 42 102
C1 - Biology 4,664 2.0% 13 21
H6 - Electronic and 4,654 3.7% 71 226
Electrical Engineering
W1 - Fine Art 4,635 2.8% 227 68
W3 - Music 4,482 3.0% 602 -1.3% 166
H2 - Civil Engineering 4,432 3.2% 86 145
K1 - Architecture 4,349 3.9% 50 15
B2 - 4,322 6.1% 52 3
Pharmacology,Toxicol
ogy and Pharmacy
Y Combs of 3,921 7.9% 190 25
arts/humanities
N5 - Marketing 3,889 6.0% 95 55
F1 - Chemistry 3,885 -3.0% 59 12
Y Combs of phys/math 3,749 -2.9% 136 7
science with social
studies/bus/law
F3 - Physics 3,559 7.0% 14
F8 - Physical 3,518 7.3% 18 15
Geographical Sciences
K2 - Building 3,506 -3.4% 338 444
B1 - 3,389 5.1% 31
Anatomy,Physiology
and Pathology
Y Combs of soc 3,332 -4.9% 32 2
studies/law with
business
WW - Combinations 3,282 10.5% 554 9.7% 64
within Creative Arts
and Design
H1 - General 3,261 3.1% 24 74
Engineering
G5 - Information 3,165 4.9% 409 187
Systems
Y Combs of 3,076 13.8% 283 16
med/bio/agric sciences
LL - Combinations 2,745 2.3% 130 57
within Social Studies
Y Combs of social 2,725 -5.2% 2
studies/bus/law with
languages
L7 - Human and Social 2,725 -1.4%
Geography
P5 - Journalism 2,675 15.7% 144 21
M9 - Others in Law 2,650 11.8% 63 104
Y Combs of phys/math 2,285 6.5% 179 97
science with
arts/humanities/langua
ges
C7 - Molecular 2,239 -5.0% 10 25
Biology,Biophysics &
Biochem
Y Combs of soc 2,137 -2.5% 88 8
studies/law
GG - Combinations 2,110 13.7% 135 2
within Mathematical &
Computer Sci
H4 - Aerospace 2,016 20.7% 216 8
Engineering
B8 - Medical 1,924 10.2% 33
Technology
F4 - Forensic and 1,862 12.2% 124 57
Archaeological
Science
J9 - Others in 1,836 19.0% 358 66
Technology
H8 - Chemical,Process 1,826 11.0% 12
and Energy
Engineering
RR - Combinations 1,815 3.2%
within European
Langs,Lit and related
V5 - Philosophy 1,599 12.6%
Y Combs of languages 1,573 -7.2%
F6 - Geology 1,524 8.7% 5
G6 - Software 1,466 4.5% 134 62
Engineering
Y Combs of sciences 1,428 -4.5% 89 74
with
engineering/technology
Y Combs of 1,421 1.4% 69 16
med/bio/agric sciences
with phys/math
sciences
VV - Combinations 1,355 0.1% 10 1
within Hist &
Philosophical studies
C3 - Zoology 1,354 10.5% 67 1
N3 - Finance 1,323 -7.9% 1 7
V3 - History by Topic 1,318 -1.2% 11 7
F7 - Science of Aquatic 1,310 -5.5% 82 51
and Terrestrial
Environments
A2 - Pre-clinical 1,217 0.6%
Dentistry
B3 - Complementary 1,200 -9.9% 276 23
Medicine
V6 - Theology and 1,193 -7.7% 28 14
Religious studies
W5 - Dance 1,179 13.1% 113 67
B4 - Nutrition 1,154 3.6% 5
D3 - Animal Science 1,113 17.5% 763 9.5% 145
C9 - Others in 1,083 25.5% 54 8
Biological Sciences
M2 - Law by Topic 1,048 -5.5% 112 10
PP - Combinations 987 -13.1% 35 15
within Mass Comms &
Documentation
K4 - Planning 951 -11.1% 19 49
(Urban,Rural and
Regional)
Q8 - Classical studies 901 1.8%
B6 - Aural and Oral 891 -2.0%
Sciences
D1 - Pre-clinical 886 -6.6%
Veterinary Medicine
L4 - Social Policy 882 1.1% 435 86
B5 - Ophthalmics 812 5.9% 49
R1 - French studies 797 2.2%
R9 - Others in 795 -13.0%
European Langs,Lit
and related
D4 - Agriculture 782 15.3% 766 21.8% 197
W8 - Imaginative 780 28.1% 11 6
Writing
P9 - Others in Mass 776 -8.6% 12 1
Comms &
Documentation
Y Combs of phys/math 752 -2.5% 32
sciences
L6 - Anthropology 692 -1.0%
N9 - Others in 678 22.8% 4
Business & Admin
Studies
H7 - Production and 661 -10.4% 3 7
Manufacturing
Engineering
N6 - Human Resource 654 -10.7% 7
Management
HH - Combinations 648 19.8% 66 14
within Engineering
QQ - Combinations 633 -0.2%
within
Linguistics,Classics &
related
FF - Combinations 606 9.6%
within Physical
Sciences
L9 - Others in Social 596 -1.2% 48 20
Studies
Q1 - Linguistics 542 -18.0% 9
W9 - Others in 530 20.5% 213 1
Creative Arts and
Design
P2 - Publicity studies 520 9.9% 2
W7 - Crafts 513 -4.6% 146 25
CC - Combinations 508 25.7%
within Biological
Sciences
T7 - American studies 499 -10.9%
V4 - Archaeology 499 -6.4% 26
L0 - Social Studies: 474 1
any area of study
C4 - Genetics 433
F9 - Others in Physical 391
Sciences
MM - Combinations 391 33 2
within Law
R4 - Spanish studies 390
C5 - Microbiology 379
Y Combs of 363
engineering/technology
XX - Combinations 349 196
within Education
T9 - Others in non- 317 -
European Langs & 51.20
related %
R2 - German studies 284
J4 - Polymers and 277 4
Textiles
D6 - Food and 276 155 13
Beverage studies
R8 - European studies 251
T2 - Japanese studies 222
BB - Combinations 220 3 14
within Subjects allied
to Medicine
H5 - Naval Architecture 209 10
J5 - Materials 209 12
Technology not
otherwise spec
K3 - Landscape 205 52 12
Design
Y Combs of 204 11
engin/tech/building
studies
KK - Combinations 189 24
within
Architecture,Build &
Plan
Q2 - Comparative 181
Literary studies
G3 - Statistics 174
F5 - Astronomy 156
P1 - Information 156
Services
T1 - Chinese studies 154
J6 - Maritime 151 5 1
Technology
V9 - Others in Hist & 143
Philosophical studies
G0 - Mathematical & 137
Comp Sci: any area
Q5 - Celtic studies 136 6
J7 - Biotechnology 130
H0 - Engineering: any 125
area of study
T6 - Modern Middle- 125
Eastern studies
R7 - Russian and East 109
European studies
W0 - Creative Arts & 109
Design: any area
R0 - European 96
Langs,Lit & related:
any area
TT - Combinations 94
within non-European
Langs & related
V2 - History by Area 91
P4 - Publishing 86 22
R3 - Italian studies 78
F0 - Physical 73
Sciences: any area of
study
DD - Combinations 69 11
within Vet Sci,Ag &
related subjects
G7 - Artificial 61 5
Intelligence
Q9 - Others in 55
Linguistics,Classics &
related
X9 - Others in 53 243
Education
G2 - Operational 52
Research
D5 - Forestry 50 103 1
X2 - Research and 49
Study Skills in
Education
G9 - Others in 48
Mathematical &
Computer Sci
T3 - South Asian 48
studies
D9 - Others in Vet 37
Sci,Ag & related
subjects
J2 - Metallurgy 37
J1 - Minerals 31
Technology
T5 - African studies 31
D7 - Agricultural 30 1 28
Sciences
A9 - Others in 19 23
Medicine and Dentistry
C2 - Botany 19
Q4 - Ancient Language 17
studies
 JJ - Combinations 15
within Technology
N7 - Office Skills 14 8
N0 - Business & Admin 13
studies: any area
R6 - Scandinavian 13
studies
C0 - Biological 12
Sciences: any area of
study
T4 - Other Asian 11
studies
Q6 - Latin studies 10
H9 - Others in 9 15
Engineering
K0 - Architecture,Build 8
& Plan: any area
K9 - Others in 5
Architecture,Build &
Plan
F2 - Materials Science 4
J0 - Technologies: any 3
area of study
R5 - Portuguese 3
studies
Q7 - Classical Greek 1
studies
Grand Total 425,52 4.6% 24,61 19.9% 27,13 11.5%
2 7 8

Table 6 notes

Foundation year courses are accounted for as Degree. 'Other' includes HND, HNC, Certificates of HE,
Diplomas of HE (including those in social work, midwifery and nursing) and some postgraduate
courses in social work. Percentage change is not shown if both the number of 2009 choices AND the
number of 2008 choices is less than 500.
Ends

UCAS is a charity and is the world’s leading shared admissions service for higher education. We
manage applications for full time undergraduate courses, together with applications through GTTR
(Graduate Teacher Training Registry), CUKAS (Conservatoires UK Admissions Service) and
UKPASS (UK Postgraduate Application and Statistical Service).
Since its inception in 1993, UCAS has processed around 30 million applications and placed over 5
million students on higher education courses.
Services include:
• An informative website (www.ucas.com) enabling students and parents to access a wealth of
information designed to help their application to higher education run smoothly.
• A state-of-the-art contact centre (0871 468 0468) providing a point of contact for students,
schools and higher education institutions.
• An online application system. A simple, straightforward tracking service enabling students and
schools advisors to access up-to-date information about their applications at the click of a
button.
 • Over 50 higher education events each year providing 250,000 students
with face-to-face advice on the UCAS process. Internationally, we
participated in events in over 12 countries and also provided training and
professional development throughout Europe and beyond.

Media contacts

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Telephone: 01242 544987 or 01242 545723
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