The number of mature students applying for a place on a higher education course in the UK has fallen, Ucas figures show.
A total of 61,280 UK mature students (aged 21-plus) applied for undergraduate places in UK institutions by the January deadline – down 6.4% on the same point last year, according to data by the university admissions service.
The number of applicants to nursing, midwifery and teacher training courses in the UK has also dropped compared to January last year, the data shows.
The number of UK mature applicants to nursing courses has fallen by 12.1% in a year – from 14,340 to 12,610, Ucas figures show.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has called on the Government to address the “workforce crisis” and urgently launch a student recruitment campaign.
The continued fall in demand from mature applicants shows we have more work to do to break down barriers to progression, and better support students from all backgrounds who could benefit from the transformative experience of higher education
Overall, the total number of applicants – of all ages and domiciles – to undergraduate courses in the UK has increased this year by 1.0% to 600,660.
The number of 18-year-olds in the UK applying to undergraduate courses has risen by 2.1% – from 316,850 to 323,360.
Despite the increase in application numbers, the application rate for UK 18-year-olds has fallen from 41.3% last year to 40.6%.
The number of international students applying for a place on a higher education course in the UK through Ucas has risen by 2.7% this year.
Overall, the total number of applicants from China has increased by 8.9% to 31,160 since January last year, while the number of applicants from the United States of America has risen by 11.7% to 6,680.
Jo Saxton, chief executive of Ucas, said: “It’s encouraging to see a record high number of UK 18-year-olds applying for university.
“The continued fall in demand from mature applicants shows we have more work to do to break down barriers to progression, and better support students from all backgrounds who could benefit from the transformative experience of higher education.”
These figures are devastating for the nursing profession and a hammer blow for the government’s planned NHS reforms
She added: “It’s particularly welcome news to see that global confidence in the UK’s higher education sector remains strong, with an increase in international undergraduate applicants via Ucas to UK universities and colleges in 2025.”
Nicola Ranger, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: “These figures are devastating for the nursing profession and a hammer blow for the Government’s planned NHS reforms.
“Health services are battling with thousands of unfilled nurse jobs, and the horizon looks bleak – the numbers choosing nursing in England have plunged to a record low.
“The Government needs to urgently grip this workforce crisis. Ministers must launch an urgent, fully funded student recruitment campaign this spring to turn this situation around before September’s intake.
“Today’s broken model of education funding impoverishes students and saddles them with debt, and it is turning people away from the nursing profession. Low starting salaries make a bad situation worse. This further student decline is dangerous for patient care.”
A spokeswoman for Universities UK (UUK) said:“Today’s data shows that university continues to be central to young people’s aspirations in the UK. In the large majority of cases, going to university gives graduates a big career boost.
“We are particularly pleased to see an increase in applications from young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who often stand to gain the most from higher education.”
