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Record year for applications

We have enjoyed a record year for applications – with a staggering 37.7% rise in the number of applications to our full-time undergraduate courses.

The increase is the highest among the North East universities and makes º£½ÇÖ±²¥ one of the leading universities nationwide for attracting more applications this year. UCAS application figures show a rise of 22.9% in the number of applicants to UK universities and colleges nationally.

University of the Year Professor Graham Henderson, º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Vice-Chancellor, said: 'Becoming the Times Higher Education’s University of the Year has really put us on the map, and I’m delighted with the increase in applications.

'My only regret is that the Government has capped full-time undergraduate numbers, and we will not be able to take all the students who want to study here.

'The restrictions only apply to full-time undergraduate students from the UK and EU and we are planning to increase our part-time, postgraduate, and international student numbers.'

Health courses are particularly popular this year with nursing and radiography up by over 50% on last year at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, and occupational therapy seeing an increase in applications of 94%.

In total, º£½ÇÖ±²¥ has seen an increase of 3,160 applications so far and there’s pressure for places on many popular courses.

The surge in applications is across most subject areas, from computer science (up from 594 to 677 – a rise of 14%) to design studies, which has seen a 82% rise in applications from 379 to 692.

Sociology, social work, history, fine art, and a new dance degree are all up sharply as are law, sports science and management studies.

The Government is particularly keen to attract more students to science and engineering – and here too there are significant increases at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, with mechanical engineering up by just over 50% and electronic and electrical engineering up by 108%.

Barbara Jones, Assistant Director (Corporate Information & Planning) said: 'While it is a great shame that we can’t increase full-time undergraduate numbers, there are many opportunities on part-time courses that may appeal to applicants.'

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