UCAS statistics reveal that the number of university applicants have risen by 22.9% this year.

The record is broken once again just as university funding chiefs have warned of there being 6,000 fewer places for the up-coming academic year, compared with last academic year. This is fourth year of increase in applications with the rising rate higher than ever before.

In total 570,556 people are trying to start course in higher education. In 2009 the figure was 22.9%, or 106,389, applicants less. Chief executive of UCAS Mary Curnock Cook commented to the BBC, ”the current economic situation is causing people to apply to higher education.”

The figures show that the biggest rise in applications is from mature students, with a rise of 108%. There has been a 58% increase in applications from people aged from 21 to 24 and only a 20% growth from applicants aged 20 or younger.

The rise comes alongside some universities reducing the amount of courses and places they offer because of cuts in funding. Altogether the diminution in universities funding is £449m with 5% of reduction in teaching money. Some universities have increased the excepted grades for successful applicants to tackle the situation.