THE National Union of Students (NUS) has demanded Government ministers review top-up fees, as new figures have shown a large fall in university applications this year.
The union says the 3.4 per cent drop in numbers applying to university showed the new higher tuition fees of £3,000 a year were putting people off.
Figures from university admissions service UCAS show applications down by 12,941 so far this academic year in comparison to figures from the previous application period last year.
Among English students applying to universities in England the group most affected by top-up fees applications are down 4.5 per cent.
The drop is seen across all age groups of English students, with 10,800 fewer under-21s applying to attend university this coming September.
NUS president Kat Fletcher said: "The drop in applications is extremely worrying and suggests top-up fees and the debt they represent are deterring potential students."
For more information, visit the website nusonline.co.uk
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