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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...

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...

After two years of educational disruption linked to COVID, the higher education (HE) sector seems to be entering a period of natural reflection. Those across the education sector are asking how we can ensure that individuals accessing education can thrive, and what needs to be changed going forward.

At UCAS, we want to take this opportunity to look at the broader picture in Scotland through our end of cycle data, before covering the key points from our response to the Scottish Government’s National Discussion. Our response to the consultation is very much shaped by the wider context of the significant uplift in student numbers that we are anticipating in the next few years. By the 2026 admissions cycle, we’re projecting that we could see up to one million applicants, around 27% more than in 2021, and twice as many as in 2006. In Scotland specifically, we expect a 10% increase in...

The past 18 months has seen UCAS accelerate its ambition to be the go-to place for higher education data-driven insights. We’ve published no fewer than ten policy reports during this period, sharing our insight to drive positive change. One such report was our deep-dive into nursing, ‘Next Steps: Who are the ‘future nurses’?’ The report, published in January 2022 in partnership with Health Education England (HEE), painted a picture of the next generation of nurses who have been inspired by the pandemic.

Rather than filing these reports into the data archives, we want to ensure their longevity and utility. That’s why, last week, UCAS took the opportunity to host a roundtable event, in conjunction with regional nursing specialists from the South West. With thanks to the 40+ colleagues who attended – the learnings were fivefold.

1. The data story - rising demand masks regional inequalities  ...