Thousands defer entry to university

THOUSANDS of students have put off entry to university this year because they think they cannot afford it.

Mike Scott, of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, said that 21,000 students had received offers but had made no response. 'This happens every year because there are always students who change their mind or say they have not received the offer. But the numbers of people holding offers of places and who are just willing to let them go are up significantly.

'This has never happened at this level before. Clearing (when universities match people with places) died down so much earlier this year than before. The reason is student poverty. They want to get some cash and not start their higher education with an overdraft.'

He said that one schools liaison officer had told him about half his students who had received offers had said they intended to defer. As a result, some universities 'are in the depths of despair' because they cannot fill their places. Careers officers said some were asking for very low grades to make their targets.

There are still many vacancies in engineering, physics and maths, which is normal. But this year, for the first time, there are still unfilled places in economics, geography and languages.

By yesterday morning, 261,822 students had accepted offers of places, leaving about 8,000 places unfilled. 'In some subjects, there are just not enough students out there,' said Tony Higgins, of the admissions service.