The number of Irish students hoping to study at UK universities in September has increased almost 30 per cent compared with previous years despite a significant drop in EU applications because of Brexit.
Figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) show that 4,850 applications were submitted by Irish students by the January deadline, compared with 3,850 during the same period last year. In 2019, 3,760 applications were received by Ucas from Irish candidates.
However, Ucas reported a 40 per cent decline in the number of EU submissions. More than 43,000 EU students applied to study in the UK last year but that fell to 26,000 this year. Before Brexit, all EU students were eligible to pay the same fees as UK and