I read about the marked drop in applications on the BBC news site yesterday. There was a brief reference to it on the Today programme earlier this morning and, as they mentioned coverage in the Daily Mail, I looked quickly at that paper’s report.
There are plenty of reasons to object to the new fees regime, and there are real concerns about whether the costs will inhibit students, particularly those from poorer backgrounds and mature students, from pursuing HE/FE. But a couple of things need to be noted about the sharp fall (about 15%) in applications from home students when compared with this time last year.
Last year students were very anxious to beat the new fees regime so they applied earlier than usual. The application gap may well narrow over the next month or two. Also, last year saw many students forego a gap year in order to avoid much increased fees. So it is inevitable that this will be a leaner year for applications. The true significance of the impact of fees on applications probably won’t become clear for a couple of years.