Category Archives: UCAS

Why applications to study languages might not be declining as much we think.

Headlines such as Times Higher Education’s “Ucas stats reveal languages decline” have become an annual ritual in recent years. Group R (European Langs, Lit & related) down  from 22,486  to 21,248 applicants ( -1,238  -5.5%). Group T (Non-European Langs, Lit and related ) went from 6,678 students in  2012 to 6,241 in 2013 (-437  -6.5%).

I was struck by the vast increase (28.7%) in the number of applicants classified in Z. General, other, combined and unknown. In fact 297,071 students (11.9%) are classified either in a Y category (Combined arts, combined sciences, combined social sciences, sciences combined with social sciences, sciences combined with social sciences or arts, social sciences combined with arts) or in category Z.  Given the high proportion of language students who are doing combined/ joint degrees I suspect (but can’t prove) increasing number of linguists are finding their way in categories Y and Z.

2013 UCAS statistics

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Social and economic background of applicants to study languages in UK higher education

Source: UCAS: Accepted applicants 2011 entry

Economic background of accepted applications for European Languages, non-European languages and All subjects.

Quintile (Polar 2)* European languages (Group R) %
Non-European Languages (Group T) %
All accepted applicants.%
1 (applicants from postcodes with fewest 20% applicants to HE (2000-2004) 5.80 8.47 11.98
2 10.27 11.48 16.45
3 15.49 15.99 19.57
4 25.06 23.04 22.48
5 1 (applicants from postcodes with highest 20% applicants to HE (2000-2004) 41.94 39.67 28.13

 

*See http://www.hefce.ac.uk/widen/polar/

Ethnic background of accepted applications for European Languages, non-European languages and all subjects.

 

  European languages (Group R) (%)
Non-European Languages (Group T) (%)
All accepted applicants.(%)
Asian - Bangladeshi 0.1 0.3 1.1
Asian - Chinese 0.4 1.0 0.8
Asian - Indian 1.1 1.1 3.5
Asian - Other Asian background 0.6 0.6 1.7
Asian - Pakistani 0.2 1.0 2.9
Black - African 0.9 1.3 5.0
Black - Caribbean 0.4 0.5 1.6
Black - Other black background 0.2

 

0.2 0.3
Mixed - Other mixed background 2.0 1.9 1.0
Mixed - White and Asian 1.8 2.1 1.1
Mixed - White and Black African 0.6 0.8 0.4
Mixed - White and Black Caribbean 0.9 1.8 1.0
Other ethnic background 0.7 1.0 1.1
Unknown or Prefer Not To Say 1.3 1.3 1.1
White 89.0 85.0 77.2

 

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Accepted applicants by gender, region and institution (UCAS)

Accepted applicants to languages and related by region, gender and institution (Source: UCAS). Please see my post on using UCAS data before making any conclusions. In short UCAS data looks at the  overall subject preference of applicants which was not necessarily not  the course they are on.  Joint degrees and major/ minor degrees present difficulties in this regard.

Accepted students for Languages and related degree programmes (Group R and T) by region and gender (UCAS: 2000).

                        Female  Male   All
A North East               247   102   349
B Yorks & The Humber       434   209   643
C North West               446   240   686
D East Midlands            314   210   524
E West Midlands            317   132   449
F Eastern                  253   127   380
G Greater London           518   251   769
H South East               574   305   879
I South West               391   162   553
J Wales                    213    88   301
K Northern Ireland          79    20    99
L Scotland                 410   121   531
All                       4196  1967  6163

 

Figures in blue represent the institution's  regional market share .

North East England

 

                            Female    Male     All

 

Durham University              148      58     206
                             71.84   28.16  100.00
                             59.92   56.86   59.03

 

Newcastle University            79      28     107
                             73.83   26.17  100.00
                             31.98   27.45   30.66

 

Northumbria University          18      11      29
                             62.07   37.93  100.00
                              7.29   10.78    8.31

 

University of Sunderland         2       5       7
                             28.57   71.43  100.00
                              0.81    4.90    2.01

 

All                            247     102     349
                             70.77   29.23  
                   

Yorkshire and the Humber

                                 Female    Male     All

 

Leeds Metropolitan University        17       4      21
                                  80.95   19.05  100.00
                                   3.92    1.91    3.27

 

Sheffield Hallam University          15       4      19
                                  78.95   21.05  100.00
                                   3.46    1.91    2.95

 

The University of Hull               80      60     140
                                  57.14   42.86  100.00
                                  18.43   28.71   21.77

 

The University of Sheffield         163      66     229
                                  71.18   28.82  100.00
                                  37.56   31.58   35.61

 

The University of York                7       2       9
                                  77.78   22.22  100.00
                                   1.61    0.96    1.40

 

University of Leeds                 152      73     225
                                  67.56   32.44  100.00
                                  35.02   34.93   34.99

 

All                                 434     209     643
                                  67.50   32.50  100.00

                                   Female    Male     All

 

Lancaster University                   40      14      54
                                    74.07   25.93  100.00
                                     8.97    5.83    7.87

 

The Manchester Metropolitan Uni        50      26      76
                                    65.79   34.21  100.00
                                    11.21   10.83   11.08

 

The University of Liverpool            60      33      93
                                    64.52   35.48  100.00
                                    13.45   13.75   13.56

 

The University of Manchester          200     129     329
                                    60.79   39.21  100.00
                                    44.84   53.75   47.96

 

The University of Salford              38      20      58
                                    65.52   34.48  100.00
                                     8.52    8.33    8.45

 

University of Central Lancashir        23      10      33
                                    69.70   30.30  100.00
                                     5.16    4.17    4.81

 

University of Chester                  35       8      43
                                    81.40   18.60  100.00
                                     7.85    3.33    6.27

 

All                                   446     240     686
                                    65.01   34.99  100.00
                               

 

                                Female    Male     All

 

Nottingham Trent University         38      12      50
                                 76.00   24.00  100.00
                                 12.10    5.71    9.54

 

The University of Nottingham       208     153     361
                                 57.62   42.38  100.00
                                 66.24   72.86   68.89

 

University of Derby                  4       5       9
                                 44.44   55.56  100.00
                                  1.27    2.38    1.72

 

University of Leicester             52      25      77
                                 67.53   32.47  100.00
                                 16.56   11.90   14.69

 

University of Lincoln                3       8      11
                                 27.27   72.73  100.00
                                  0.96    3.81    2.10

 

University of Northampton            9       7      16
                                 56.25   43.75  100.00
                                  2.87    3.33    3.05

 

All                                314     210     524
                                 59.92   40.08  100.00
                      

West Midlands

 

                                Female    Male     All

 

Aston University, Birmingham        32       7      39
                                 82.05   17.95  100.00
                                 10.09    5.30    8.69

 

Coventry University                 17      12      29
                                 58.62   41.38  100.00
                                  5.36    9.09    6.46

 

Keele University                     8       6      14
                                 57.14   42.86  100.00
                                  2.52    4.55    3.12

 

The University of Birmingham       148      61     209
                                 70.81   29.19  100.00
                                 46.69   46.21   46.55

 

The University of Warwick          112      46     158
                                 70.89   29.11  100.00
                                 35.33   34.85   35.19

 

All                                317     132     449
                                 70.60   29.40  100.00
                          

East of England

                               Female    Male     All

 

The University of Essex            65      30      95
                                68.42   31.58  100.00
                                25.69   23.62   25.00

 

University of Cambridge           137      74     211
                                64.93   35.07  100.00
                                54.15   58.27   55.53

 

University of East Anglia          50      23      73
                                68.49   31.51  100.00
                                19.76   18.11   19.21

 

University of Hertfordshire         1       0       1
                               100.00    0.00  100.00
                                 0.40    0.00    0.26

 

All                               253     127     380
                                66.58   33.42  100.00
                             

London

                                    Female     Male      All

 

King's College                        125       37      162
                                     77.16    22.84   100.00
                                    24.131   14.741   21.066

 

London Metropolitan University           4        1        5
                                     80.00    20.00   100.00
                                     0.772    0.398    0.650

 

Queen Mary,                            51       23       74
                                     68.92    31.08   100.00
                                     9.846    9.163    9.623

 

Roehampton University                   20       11       31
                                     64.52    35.48   100.00
                                     3.861    4.382    4.031

 

SOAS                                   115       68      183
                                     62.84    37.16   100.00
                                    22.201   27.092   23.797

 

University College London              150       88      238
                                     63.03    36.97   100.00
                                    28.958   35.060   30.949

 

University of London Institute          44       20       64
                                     68.75    31.25   100.00
                                     8.494    7.968    8.322

 

University of Westminster                9        3       12
                                     75.00    25.00   100.00
                                     1.737    1.195    1.560

 

All                                    518      251      769
                                     67.36    32.64   100.00
                            

South East 

                                 Female    Male     All

 

Canterbury Christ Church Univer        17      14      31
                                    54.84   45.16  100.00
                                     2.96    4.59    3.53

 

Oxford Brookes University              35      22      57
                                    61.40   38.60  100.00
                                     6.10    7.21    6.48

 

Oxford University                     108      90     198
                                    54.55   45.45  100.00
                                    18.82   29.51   22.53

 

Royal Holloway, University of L       106      24     130
                                    81.54   18.46  100.00
                                    18.47    7.87   14.79

 

The University of Kent                 83      48     131
                                    63.36   36.64  100.00
                                    14.46   15.74   14.90

 

The University of Reading              27      13      40
                                    67.50   32.50  100.00
                                     4.70    4.26    4.55

 

University of Portsmouth               64      34      98
                                    65.31   34.69  100.00
                                    11.15   11.15   11.15

 

University of Southampton              85      32     117
                                    72.65   27.35  100.00
                                    14.81   10.49   13.31

 

University of Surrey                    5       5      10
                                    50.00   50.00  100.00
                                     0.87    1.64    1.14

 

University of Sussex                   30      16      46
                                    65.22   34.78  100.00
                                     5.23    5.25    5.23

 

University of Winchester               14       7      21
                                    66.67   33.33  100.00
                                     2.44    2.30    2.39

 

All                                   574     305     879
                                    65.30   34.70  100.00
                              

 

Cell Contents:      Count
                    % of Row
                    % of Column

 

South West
                         Female    Male     All

 

University of Bath           95      27     122
                          77.87   22.13  100.00
                          24.30   16.67   22.06

 

University of Bristol       187     101     288
                          64.93   35.07  100.00
                          47.83   62.35   52.08

 

University of Exeter        109      34     143
                          76.22   23.78  100.00
                          27.88   20.99   25.86

 

All                         391     162     553
                          70.71   29.29  100.00

 Wales
 
                                   Female    Male     All

 

Aberystwyth University                 41      13      54
                                    75.93   24.07  100.00
                                    19.25   14.77   17.94

 

Bangor University                      25      27      52
                                    48.08   51.92  100.00
                                    11.74   30.68   17.28

 

Cardiff University                     73      18      91
                                    80.22   19.78  100.00
                                    34.27   20.45   30.23

 

Swansea University                     62      23      85
                                    72.94   27.06  100.00
                                    29.11   26.14   28.24

 

The University of Wales, Lampeter         9       6      15
                                    60.00   40.00  100.00
                                     4.23    6.82    4.98

 

University of Glamorgan, Cardif         3       1       4
                                    75.00   25.00  100.00
                                     1.41    1.14    1.33

 

All                                   213      88     301
                                    70.76   29.24  100.00
 Northern Ireland

                              Female    Male     All
Queen's University Belfast        44      11      55
                               80.00   20.00  100.00
                               55.70   55.00   55.56

 

University of Ulster              35       9      44
                               79.55   20.45  100.00
                               44.30   45.00   44.44

 

All                               79      20      99
                               79.80   20.20  100.00
                              100.00  100.00  100.00
 Scotland
 
                                   Female    Male     All
Edinburgh Napier University            15       1      16
                                    93.75    6.25  100.00
                                     3.66    0.83    3.01

 

Heriot-Watt University, Edinbur        50      14      64
                                    78.13   21.88  100.00
                                    12.20   11.57   12.05

 

The University of Aberdeen             60      13      73
                                    82.19   17.81  100.00
                                    14.63   10.74   13.75

 

The University of Edinburgh            68      30      98
                                    69.39   30.61  100.00
                                    16.59   24.79   18.46

 

The University of Stirling             35       7      42
                                    83.33   16.67  100.00
                                     8.54    5.79    7.91

 

The University of Strathclyde          41       3      44
                                    93.18    6.82  100.00
                                    10.00    2.48    8.29

 

University of Dundee                    0       2       2
                                     0.00  100.00  100.00
                                     0.00    1.65    0.38

 

University of Glasgow                  57      15      72
                                    79.17   20.83  100.00
                                    13.90   12.40   13.56

 

University of St Andrews               80      35     115
                                    69.57   30.43  100.00
                                    19.51   28.93   21.66

 

University of the West of Scotl         4       1       5
                                    80.00   20.00  100.00
                                     0.98    0.83    0.94

 

All                                   410     121     531
                                    77.21   22.79  100.00
 
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Application-accept ratios 2005-2010 (Source: UCAS)

I have put together the ratios of applications to accepts for degrees in languages and related fields below (source UCAS). Students had six choices until 2007, then five choices from 2008.

The ratios are not necessarily indicative of  'applicants per place' as the number of available places is not part of the equation. However, it is probably reasonable to suppose that subjects with a higher applications to accepts ratio are more competitive, all other things being equal.

Click to view table in table in detail.

Ratios for 'applications' to 'accepts', 2005-2010
Ratios for 'applications' to 'accepts', 2005-2010
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Applications for language study at UK universities 2005-10

As promised here are the applicants and accepts from the UCAS data (2005-2010). I am planning to put this into a better format for the LLAS Centre website.

Please note than some categories may include students not studying languages e.g. American Studies, Science combinations with arts/ humanities/languages.

Definitions: Accepted applicants (accepts): Successful UCAS applicants. The numbers of accepted applicants are close, but not necessarily identical, to the numbers who actually enrol. Applications: Up to 2007 entry, each applicant could make up to six applications to different courses and/or institutions. From 2008 entry onwards, each applicant may make up to five applications. Ratio: approximate number of application per place.

Applications and accepts

Click on the table to enlarge.

Applications for Languages

.Some categories may include students not studying languages e.g. American Studies, Science combinations with arts/ humanities/languages. Definitions: Accepted applicants (accepts): Successful UCAS applicants. The numbers of accepted applicants are close, but not necessarily identical, to the numbers who actually enrol. Applications: Up to 2007 entry, each applicant could make up to six applications to different courses and/or institutions. From 2008 entry onwards, each applicant may make up to five applications. Ratio: approximate number of application per place.

 

Percentage changes

Click on the table to enlarge.

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Using UCAS data to identify language trends 1

Late last year I wrote about the difficulties involved in calculating how many students are studying languages, by using HESA data. An alternative source of data is from the UK’s University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). One of the great advantages of the UK centralised admissions system it does mean access to some good data. It is possible to find out which courses are in the highest demand (by looking at application to accept ratios), details about the socio-economic profile of students, school grades etc. Arguably, UCAS data is presented is much more user friendly way than HESA data.

Caution about UCAS data

The case may be different for other subjects, but UCAS data is not very reliable for tracking trends in individual languages. The subject data presented by UCAS is based upon an applicant’s primary choice—in short UCAS staff look at an application form to see which subject the applicant is primarily applying which then forms the basis of the subject choice

Despite the clarity of the layout, there are at least two reasons why UCAS data is not particularly reliable for mapping trends in individual languages.

  1. There is very little allowance for joint and combined honours combinations to be recorded. Where they are reported, it will be where the applicant has expressed no clear preference for a subject—these students are recorded in Y Combinations of Languages with arts and humanities, social studies, combinations of languages. We do not know what combinations they are actually doing. Unspecified combinations of languages attracted 9,589 application and 1,652 accepts. Add to this the combinations of languages with arts/ humanities (another 7,623), languages with social studies, business and law another 2,589. This is considerably more than the 4,678 studying European languages (Group R) and the non-European languages and languages (1,485).
  2. For individual languages ‘trends’ are extremely volatile, probably not because demand is volatile, but because classification practices vary year on year. This is especially the case of ‘less widely taught languages’. Taken at face value it seems that only two students applied to study Portuguese last year.

The upside

However, as each individual is only counted once we can work out how many people might be studying for a language degree in higher education whihout worry are tenths, third and halves of students. If we add up the Group R total, the Group T totals and the Y language combinations for 2010 we get 18,027. Multiple that by 4 (assuming all these students are doing 4 year courses) and we get 72,108. This may be an underestimate as I have not included the sciences with languages/ arts and humanities, but it could also be an overestimated as I this 72,000+ assumes four-year degrees, so if I was to multiple by 3 we get 54,081 not especially close to the 42,444 I estimated from the HESA data.

UCAS is about admissions and applications to study, not statistics per se. It tells us nothing of the numbers of students who enrol on language courses in Institution-Wide Language programmes or change to (or from languages on arrival), though some of the these students are recorded in the HESA data (it depends though on how institutions report their data to HESA.

The data on which this post is based is on the UCAS website. I will post the past five years of data from the individual languages in the next day or two.

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