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Historical trend
Trend summary
36.9% of UK 18-year-olds were accepted into higher education in the 2024 UCAS cycle, a slight increase from 36.4% in 2023.
Trend
- The entry rate rose from 33.4% in 2017 to a record 39.4% in 2021, boosted by inflated teacher-assessed grades during COVID-19, before normalising to 36–37% in 2022–24.
- The 2024 rate of 36.9% reflects a recovery from a post-pandemic dip and is above pre-pandemic 2019 levels (34.4%).
- Entry rates for students from disadvantaged backgrounds have risen faster than the average over the past decade.
Context
- UCAS publishes application data at multiple points in the cycle; the January deadline and end-of-cycle figures are the most complete.
- UK applications exclude international students, who are counted separately by UCAS.
Commentary contains no editorial judgement — describes direction, magnitude, and official projections only.