Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the change in the number of people applying to study medicine in 2014 relative to previous years; and if his Department will assess what effect (a) increases in tuition fees and (b) fear of increased debt may have on such applications.

Information published by UCAS on the numbers of applications since 2009 is shown in the table. UCAS have not yet published comparable figures for 2015.

Medicine remains a very popular course that attracts many prospective students. There are no upfront fees and a progressive, income-contingent loan available for those applying for degrees.

Applications from UK domiciled applicants¹ to pre-clinical medicine

Source: UCAS. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5.

1. Each applicant can submit up to four applications for pre-clinical medicine. UCAS have not released figures showing the number of applicants who have made one or more applications to pre-clinical medicine.