UK/EU AND INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS
FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES 2006 ENTRY
A REPORT TO SENATE AND THE RESOURCES
AND PLANNING COMMITTEE
POSITION AT 17 FEBRUARY 2006
This commentary should
be read in conjunction with the attached tables:
1.
UNDERGRADUATE
Applications
Applications
to date have fallen by 13.2% compared to 2005.
All three Faculties have experienced decreases varying from 5.8% for
Engineering (UK/EU) to 15.8% for
Science (UK/EU). Nationally, there has been a decline of 3.4%, the first such
change for several years. UCAS applications data sorted by institution reveals
that 75 universities are running below their equivalent totals for 2005 and of
these 41 have fallen by at least 5.0%. Universities with losses of 10.0% or
more include the following:
|
10.9% |
|
11.5% |
|
13.6% |
|
14.2% |
|
17.3% |
Nottingham |
18.3% |
Universities
experiencing significant losses do not conform to a particular pattern in terms
of the access bursaries which they are offering from 2006 onwards. This does
not appear to be a key factor, therefore, in accounting for the declining
applications
It
will be recalled that Loughborough experienced substantial growth in its
applications last year. The figure of 12.5% (UK/EU and international) placed
the university significantly ahead of the sector average of 8.5%.
When
the applications figures are distributed into UCAS subject areas and a
comparison is made between 2004 and 2006, it becomes apparent that a majority of
the subject areas at Loughborough have grown by margins ranging from 3.3% to
68.1%. An increase of 20.0% or more has been achieved by 8 subject areas. Those
which have fallen over the two year period include Computer Science (reflecting
a national collapse in applications) and Economics, English and Management Studies.
In each of these three subject areas, the standard conditional offer level has
been raised and it may well be that this quite deliberate change of strategy
has choked off some demand.
Competitor
Data (Table B)
A
study has been made of the applications and intakes of a group of competitor
universities over the period 2000 – 2006 (applications) and 2000 –
2005 (intakes). Loughborough’s applications profile reveals a relatively
narrow range of movement, with the exception of the growth in 2005. The 12.5%
increase for Loughborough in 2005 was greater than for any of the competitor
universities. All the institutions featured in the table have experienced
declines in 2006, ranging from 0.2% (
Applicants’
Responses
Attention
must now turn to the proportion of applicants receiving offers who make
Loughborough their first (firm) choice within the UCAS rules. To date, only
5.4% of these applicants have replied but there is an indication already that
the raising of offer levels has reduced the number of applicants deciding to
place the University as their second (insurance) choice. It can also be
observed that, at this early point in the second stage of the process, some
departments are showing growth in the proportion of applicants accepting offers
firmly.
Actions
In
readiness for the introduction of variable tuition fees, a set of information
including details of the University’s bursary and scholarship package and
a guide for parents, has been sent to all applicants with their offers. The
University’s bursaries web pages have been overhauled to expand the
guidance provided and to improve accessibility. The distribution of a
newsletter and accommodation leaflet has begun to the considerable number of
applicants yet to respond to their offers. Departments continue to work
extremely hard to make their UCAS visit days a wholly positive experience for
their applicants and parents. A sample
of applicants in each of the three reply categories – firmly accept,
accept as insurance and decline – will be surveyed over the coming months
to obtain feedback on the impact of the bursaries and a scholarships, the
quality of the visit days and the reasons for their decisions. The first group
to be targeted will be the “declines”.
2.
TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE
INTERNATIONAL (FT)
Applications and Decisions
Applications
are currently down on the equivalent time last year by 18.2% (from 4630 to
3789) with a decrease in applications from
Actions
All
departments are fully aware of the decrease in applications, especially from
Making
well managed and timely contact with applicants has been identified as a
significant factor in the conversion process.
The PGT Office and International Office are consulting all departments and Directorates, therefore, with a view to introducing
a professional and co-ordinated international applicant telephone campaign. It
is hoped that this will begin in late April/early May.
Other
examples of good recruitment practice and initiatives being carried out by
departments include the increased use of scholarships and the introduction of
bursaries. Many departments have also
been making visits to key markets and have been developing links with relevant
institutions.
UK/EU
Although
it is very early in the recruitment cycle, as the vast majority of applicants
do not submit their applications until later on in the year, applications have
already fallen by 25% (from 353 to 265) compared to this time last year. The
decrease is evident in all three Faculties and most departments. It should be
noted, however, that offers have risen by 5.6% (from 181 to 191).
PROGRAMME
DEVELOPMENT
Departments
are continually reviewing their portfolio of programmes and have been
developing and introducing new programmes to ensure that they meet the demands
of both the UK/EU and international market. Over the past three years 28 new taught postgraduate programmes have
been introduced.
MB/HEJ/TW
21
February 2006