
UCAS data shows positive demand growth

The latest data released by UCAS covering the June application deadline provides an up-to-date picture of undergraduate demand trends. Whilst it’s not the full picture, with significant demand growth in recent years attributable to postgraduates, it does provide one piece of the demand puzzle.
From a headline perspective, it is positive to see a return to growth, with the total number of applicants rising by 1.3% year-on-year. This follows on from declines of -1.6% and -2.3% reported in the previous two years.
Isolating the data by key domiciles, both UK and non-EU numbers rose, whilst the number of yearly applicants from the EU remained almost unchanged.
Over the long run, the number of yearly applicants from non-EU students has risen from ~71k in 2017 to more than 117k in 2025, an increase of ~46k. However, the UK story is more complicated. As shown below, this has remained somewhat volatile, particularly during the Covid years, and as of the June deadline this year, numbers were still down by ~3k compared to 2017, even though they did increase year-on-year.
Source: UCAS
Isolating UK demand specifically, this volatility has been driven in part by declines in the number of mature students applying to university.
The chart below shows that over the long term, the number of UK 18-year-old applicants has very much been on the rise, and grew by a further ~7k in 2025, representing an increase of 2.2%. In comparison, the number of 19-20 year-old applicants remains 15.8% lower than in 2017. Similarly, applicant numbers from other more mature age groups have all steadily declined since 2021, when Covid no doubt influenced the decision of older applicants to remain in higher education.
The continued growth in demand from 18-year-olds will support demand for the HMO market, given its typical tenant base, however, with the Renter’s Rights Bill on the horizon, it is yet to be determined how this will impact the availability of accommodation for this growing domestic market.
Source: UCAS
International demand remains critical for PBSA and positively, the data shows some reassuring trends. Starting with Chinese demand, the number of applicants from this country jumped by 9.8% YoY, which follows on from a minor increase of just 0.5% reported at the same time last year. Demand from the US and Turkey also continues to rise. Whilst from a low base, the volume of applicants jumped by 13.9% and 23.6% respectively in 2025.
Source: UCAS
The flight to quality trend is well reported and the latest data supports this view. Applications to higher tariff providers rose by 4.9% as of the June deadline. Worryingly, lower tariff providers continue to report reduced demand, with numbers declining by 2.4%. This means there were 8.0% fewer applications in 2025 compared to 2017. In comparison, the number of applications at higher tariff providers was 26.2% higher.
Isolating non-EU demand, the trend is even more pronounced. Applications from non-EU students to higher tariff providers rose by 7.4% in 2025, with numbers now 94.6% higher than in 2017. In comparison, lower tariff providers reported a decline of 8.9%. This trend highlights that higher tariff providers continue to capture a greater proportion of demand, reinforcing the concept that students are looking to attend high-quality institutions and raising questions over the long-term future of the country’s less attractive universities.
Source: UCAS
Overall, the latest data highlights the continued upward trend in undergraduate demand, which will be welcome news for operators of accommodation in what has been a volatile few years. However, it also highlights the continued nuances applicable to the UK market, with not all institutions benefiting from long-term growth. Furthermore, time will tell whether growth in applicants or applications will result in a greater number of acceptances and ultimately, students requiring accommodation. In recent years, the proportion of international students in particular converting to acceptances has been in decline, so the positive contribution to demand could still be lower than the current headlines indicate.
For more information about our proprietary, highly granular data covering UK student accommodation, contact the StuRents Research team today.
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