Early signs of an increase in university applications from older students signifies the poor state of the UK economy, according to experts, who said it was more likely that decisions were being influenced by such “negative drivers” rather than a response to the policy agenda. 

from admissions service Ucas show that 6,600 applications from people aged 21 and over were made for 2026 courses with a 15 October deadline – medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science, and those at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.

This was an 11 per cent increase on the previous year and the first increase among early undergraduate applications for this group of students in four years.

Catherine Lido, professor of psychology and adult learning at the University of Glasgow, told ����Vlog that positive drivers, such as changes in funding and entry requirements, and reskilling and upskilling by choice could be behind the rise.

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However, she said negative drivers, often in times of economic crisis and social disruption, can also influence people’s choices because of precarity, unemployment and inability to progress in a chosen career path.

“I am heartened to see the rising numbers, however, I am concerned that the negative drivers currently outweigh the positive drivers in the decision of many adults to return to formal education.”

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As mature student numbers tend to increase with later applications, Lido said total undergraduate applications from older students by the end of January are likely to be even higher.

The Ucas data show that the total number of applications from mature students is the third highest across the past decade but well below the pandemic highs of 2021 and 2022.

Susan Webb, emeritus professor at the University of Sheffield and adjunct research professor at Monash University, said the increase in numbers could simply be redressing a fall in applications that took place post-Covid.

“As the employability motivation is important to mature students, who often have a specific job in mind for their future, and as we are in a period of employment uncertainty and precarity, the ‘traditional’ professions may seem very attractive to mature entrants.”

“Since the job market is becoming more difficult, and unemployment is increasing, the applications from mature students could go up as…has happened before in similar employment uncertainties.”

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But Webb said it will be difficult to predict because many mature students follow non-traditional pathways and apply late in the cycle or often through clearing.

Applications increased among all age brackets, with the strongest growth in the 30 to 34, and 35 and over brackets.

The Westminster government has placed renewed emphasis on lifelong learning in recent years, including plans to reform the student finance system to encourage adults to return to the education system at different points in their lives. But critics say the changes, which are set to come into effect next year, might not work because older learners are reluctant to take on more debt. 

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But, after several years of post-pandemic uncertainty, applicants may be feeling more confident to be able to take steps to return to study, according to Camilla Priede, senior university teacher at the University of Sheffield.

She said most of the increased applications would be in medicine, where students can see a direct path towards employment, and from the expansion of foundation or gateway years into medicine.

“Therefore, it may be that universities have managed to find ways of meeting a demand which has been there for some years.”

Given the small number of early applicants, statistics showing a rise should be be treated with caution, said John Butcher, director of access, open and cross-curricular innovation at the Open University.

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“However, mature numbers in HE tend to rise when there are fewer jobs, and there are fewer vacancies...so I might predict a rise later in the year when jobs are even harder to get.”

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com