Record numbers have already applied for full-time undergraduate courses with more set to apply before the September deadline.

The UCU, lecturers union, estimate up to 170,000 applicants will be turned down by September.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said that universities lack the funding to be able to cope with the increased number of applicants.

She said “Today’s figures show that demand for higher education in the UK remains very solid and that competition for places will be intense again this year

“It is quite likely therefore that more qualified applicants will fail to secure places this year.”

Sally Hunt, general secretary of UCU, said funding cuts to higher education would create a “lost generation” of learners.

She said “Today’s figures make frightening reading. Other countries are increasing the number of graduates to compete in a high-skill knowledge economy, yet our government seems intent on the doing the opposite.”

Although the number of applicants has increased again this year, UCAS was glad that the year on year rise of 23% seems to have settled down.

Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of UCAS, said “I’m glad increases are looking more manageable than earlier in the cycle, but this year’s applications landscape is clearly more competitive than ever.”

Source: BBC Education, 16/07/10