Figures published yesterday by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service reveal how 15,000 18-year-olds in England have been deterred by higher tuition fees. The vast majority are from families earning at least ￡30,000 a year.

The figures suggest they are deciding in greater numbers to bypass university and use their A-level results to look for jobs to avoid building up predicted ￡40,000 debts.

The number of UK university applicants has fallen 8.9 per cent, following news that universities will impose higher charges this autumn. In England, with fees considerably higher than in other home nations, demand plunged 10 per cent.

Analysis accompanying the figures reveals that the percentage of 18-year-olds applying from the poorest fifth of families in England has dipped slightly, from 19 per cent in 2011 to 18.8 per cent. These students’ families earn up to ￡15,000 before tax.

Among households earning up to ￡30,000, the proportion of applicants dropped 0.7 points to 26.5 per cent.

Demand dipped more sharply among middle-income families earning between ￡30,000 and ￡50,000, falling 1.1 points to 32.8 per cent.

Among higher-earners, with household incomes of ￡50,000 to ￡75,000, the proportion of applicants dropped 2.1 points to 40.7 per cent.

And among the richest fifth of families in England, earning at least ￡75,000, demand slid 2.6 points to 53.7 per cent.

‘The application rates for young people from all backgrounds have fallen in 2012 with the largest declines for those from the most advantaged backgrounds,’ the report said.

Overall, one in 20 18-year-olds in England who would have been expected to apply to university this year has failed to do so.

In contrast, in the other UK nations where fee levels are unchanged on last year, application rates ‘continue on trend’.

滬江英語快訊：根據(jù)英國大學入學委員會的統(tǒng)計數(shù)據(jù)，由于今年英格蘭各個大學學費的強制漲價，有1萬5千名放棄入學。他們表示，將繞過大學階段，直接用自己A等的成績找工作，否則就可能要擔負4萬英鎊的債務。令人驚訝的是，大多數(shù)被嚇退學生的家庭年收入都不低于3萬英鎊，而且年收入越高的家庭放棄入學的比例越高。所幸的是，英國其他地方大學學費仍保持在去年的標準。

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