There is a number of reasons for the fall in applications. Applications from higher-income groups are also down, while an increased number of students from low income families have applied for college, UCAS says. These figures indicate that the introduction of fees has resulted in some sections of the community eschewing third level. According to students, life at university has become much more difficult since the introduction of fees. The number of appeals has gone up.
Students are now customers.
However, for many students from the Republic, going to college in Britain will always be an attractive option. If you live in some parts of Donegal, for example, it's often easier to go to college in Derry or Belfast than it is to get to Galway or Dublin. Traditionally, students from the Republic have accounted for 10 per cent of the annual intake into both Queen's University, Belfast and the University of Ulster. However, the introduction of fees has meant a decrease in the numbers applying. According to Stirling Wisener, QUB's admissions' officer, intake and admissions from the Republic have dropped significantly in recent years, and this year's applications are down 10 per cent on last year.