British students face “fierce competition” for places on science and engineering degree courses, as financial strains prevent universities from expanding expensive courses despite rising demand.
UK applications for so-called high-cost undergraduate degrees have risen 14 per cent since 2019, the first available year of data, outstripping the 5 per cent increase in enrolments over the same period, according to data shared with the Financial Times.
“Universities are not expanding high-cost courses at the rate that they would be if they were simply responding to student demand or the needs of the labour market,” said Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents the sector.