The Department does not hold data on numbers of applications by type of institution and (i) socio-economic group, and (ii) ethnicity, or numbers of entrants by type of institution and socio-economic group prior to 2002/03. The latest available information relates to entrants to full-time undergraduate courses and is shown in the following tables.
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Of which: Of which: Of which: Of which: Socio-economic status (NS-SEC) All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group 1-32 151,100 41,965 166,040 47,165 167,330 47,840 171,420 45,890 4-73 67,300 10,445 73,940 11,535 72,665 11,680 78,830 11,465 Total known 218,400 52,410 239,975 58,700 239,995 59,520 250,250 57,355 Of which: Percentage from: 1-32 69.2 80.1 69.2 80.4 69.7 80.4 68.5 80.0 4-73 30.8 19.9 30.8 19.6 30.3 19.6 31.5 20.0 Not known4 137,070 18,585 119,415 11,920 119,465 11,600 128,770 14,110 Total 355,470 70,995 359,390 70,620 359,460 71,120 379,020 71,465 1 Includes first degrees, foundation degrees, higher national diplomas, higher national certificates and diplomas of higher education only. 2 Includes higher managerial and professional occupations, lower managerial and professional occupations and intermediate occupations. 3 Includes small employers and own account workers, lower supervisory and technical occupations, semi-routine occupations and routine occupations. 4 Includes entrants who did not state their parental occupation, those who had never worked, those who were long term unemployed and those for whom it was not possible to derive the NS-SEC. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Notes: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest 5, therefore components may not sum to totals.
Despite the claims that some have made that the variable fee system would put off those from less well off backgrounds, the latest UCAS figures for students applying for entry in autumn 2007 indicate that this has not happened. The figures indicate that although applicants from less affluent families are still in the minority, since 2005 there has been a bigger year-on-year percentage increase from applicants from the lower socio-economic groups than from applicants from more affluent backgrounds. As a result, the proportion of applicants who are from the lower socio-economic groups has risen from 30.9 per cent. in 2005 to 31.3 per cent. this year.
1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 Of which: Of which: Of which: Of which: Of which: Ethnicity All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group White 249,890 43,265 259,330 43,550 256,835 45,825 258,710 47,700 259,080 52,655 Black Caribbean 4,180 145 4,310 155 3,955 160 3,710 190 3,725 190 Black African 6,090 340 6,230 325 6,800 385 6,670 470 7,400 580 Black other 1,755 85 1,945 100 2,060 140 2,120 135 2,305 175 Indian 12,305 1,470 13,190 1,685 13,630 1,755 13,995 1,890 14,920 2,420 Pakistani 6,745 605 7,215 610 7,380 595 7,680 695 8,075 865 Bangladeshi 1,830 180 1,955 180 2,025 200 2,185 205 2,465 275 Chinese 2,950 630 3,100 665 3,090 640 3,335 685 3,405 855 Asian other 3,610 600 3,755 655 3,600 655 3,695 720 3,985 875 Other 4,855 755 6,095 850 5,670 865 5,730 910 6,275 1,155 Total known 294,205 48,070 307,115 48,780 305,035 51,225 307,825 53,590 311,630 60,040 Information refused 16,485 2,430 16,645 4,555 15,340 3,375 9,400 860 8,395 1,330 Information not yet sought 8,330 2,565 7,325 1,280 5,240 1,515 4,905 1,255 4,055 1,275 Not known 2,315 600 4,040 890 5,755 870 6,130 935 6,925 965 Total 321,335 53,665 335,130 55,505 331,370 56,985 328,265 56,640 331,005 63,610 Notes: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Of which: Of which: Of which: Of which: Of which: Ethnicity All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group All HEIs Russell Group White 270,155 55,080 282,210 59,515 283,940 59,035 285,265 59,560 300,290 60,115 Black or Black British— Caribbean 4,390 260 4,810 345 5,085 330 5,475 305 5,855 305 Black or Black British—African 8,670 735 9,710 840 11,335 960 12,680 970 14,220 1,050 Other Black background 1,310 85 1,540 80 1,500 100 1,410 90 1,490 75 Asian or Asian British—Indian 15,670 2,725 15,695 2,865 15,375 2,835 15,245 2,870 15,475 2,845 Asian or Asian British—Pakistani 9,060 1,045 9,215 1,115 9,290 1,130 9,415 1,200 9,765 1,150 Asian or Asian British—Bangladeshi 2,735 320 2,730 340 2,865 295 3,565 370 3,745 300 Chinese 3,755 995 3,870 1,090 3,735 1,100 3,905 1,135 3,820 1,100 Other Asian background 3,940 850 4,230 985 4,015 940 4,300 995 4,700 975 Mixed 5,435 1,275 6,560 1,575 7,305 1,695 8,330 1,890 9,880 2,035 Other Ethnic background 2,970 500 2,840 470 2,905 420 3,110 480 3,655 565 Total known 328,090 63,870 343,415 69,215 347,350 68,835 352,695 69,860 372,890 70,515 Information refused 10,375 2,450 8,000 1,430 7,250 1,080 5,505 755 4,650 565 Not known 11,265 1,505 9,240 1,000 10,120 1,165 7,205 1,220 7,800 1,685 Total 349,730 67,825 360,655 71,640 364,720 71,080 365,410 71,835 385,340 72,765 Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest 5. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
As the new ethnicity classification was introduced in 2001/02, the figures from 2001/02 are not directly comparable with the figures up to 2000/01.