Fewer Scottish students are applying to English universities

The overall figures show that there are 2.5% more applications for places this year - with 414,893 people seeking full-time undergraduate courses.

Admissions chief, Tony Higgins, said that this showed evidence of universities' success in widening access to "applicants from a broader range of backgrounds".

The figures were welcomed by Margaret Hodge, Minister for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education, who said it showed the government was on target to achieve 50% of young people entering higher education by the end of the decade.

Border charges

The latest figures also showed that there has been a sharp increase in students from China seeking places at UK universities - up 83% to 3,415 applications.

But there has been a decrease in the number of applications from overseas students within the European Union.

There is also a trend for Scottish students to apply to Scottish universities - which is likely to spark claims that this reflects the withdrawal of up-front tuition fees in Scotland.

Applications to English universities by Scottish students fell by 13% and to Northern Irish universities by 14% - perhaps suggesting that students have less appetite for universities in parts of the UK charging tuition fees.

These figures make comparisons with applications at the same time last year - and are for courses beginning this autumn.