With deadlines for university admissions around the corner, Nottingham’s businesses are hoping the downward trend in student admissions will not continue.
Post-Covid, more young people are increasingly choosing apprenticeships over an academic education. This could have a devastating effect on the local economy, businesses say.
Since 2022, there has been a continuous decline in the percentage of young people deciding to go to university.
According to figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), only 41.9% of 18-year-olds were admitted to university in 2024 – down from 44.1% in 2022.
Additionally, the number of overseas students applying to study in the UK dropped by 1.4% compared to 2023.
“Leaving the UK to study elsewhere was definitely the right decision, for a number of reasons”, says Namika Ganavat, a 20-year-old student who left Nottingham to study in Romania instead.
“I was very worried about finding a graduate job here and the quality of education is much higher where I live now”.
Namika had been studying finance at NTU, but after two years of studying in Nottingham, she left to pursue a medicine degree in Romania and is in the first year of that course.
“LEAVING THE UK TO STUDY ELSEWHERE WAS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT DECISION, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS”
NAMIKA GANAVAT, STUDENT
But it is not only international students who are worried about the price of their degree.
“Repaying fees is always at the back of my mind”, said Jade, a second-year law student at Nottingham Trent University. “I don’t want to accumulate a mountain of debt and then struggle when I want to buy a house.
“I am also worried about finding a good job after as it seems very difficult”.
Fewer students coming to Nottingham could have a devastating impact on the local economy.
According to a study conducted by Universities for Nottingham, universities create an impact of £3.8bn on the local economy every year – that equates to 14% of the city’s economy.
Around 25,000 jobs are directly supported by the economic activity of both universities.
This means that Nottingham’s economy is heavily reliant on student spending.
“Most of our regulars are students coming in to do their work here”, said Linus, barista at Vault Coffee.
Situated on Nottingham’s Clumber Street, the business is counting on footfall.
“We do notice that footfall drops a lot during university holidays and fewer students would obviously mean fewer customers,” Linus added.
In addition, the universities are big employers in Nottingham. In recent years, however, they have faced financial hardship.
According to official financial documents, Nottingham Trent University has paid £9 million to staff who agreed to resign – a scheme they opened in October 2023.
This meant 230 members of staff left their jobs at the university.
Fewer student admissions in the future could mean less funding for universities, less traffic for local businesses and therefore could deliver a devastating blow to Nottingham’s economy.