Figures show 2008 applications and acceptances at record levels
The total number of people applying for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges for the 2008 academic year has risen by 9.5 per cent from last year, according to the latest figures from UCAS.
Overall, 582,657 people have applied for 2008 entry, compared to 531,898 in 2007 and 504,748 in 2006.
The total number of applicants accepted onto courses has also risen from last year to 451,871 - 9.7 per cent higher than the figure for 2007.
Both sets of figures break previous records for applications and acceptance into full-time undergraduate courses, UCAS said.
Students applying from England increased by 11.4 per cent this year, while Welsh applications rose 5.7 per cent. However, the number of students applying from Scotland fell by 2.7 per cent.
Applications from outside the European Union were up 8.7 per cent from 2007.
Law was the top course, with 17,059 students accepted for 2008 programmes - up 6.8 per cent from last year. It was followed by design studies (15,801), psychology (14,817), management studies (11,165) and computer science (10,585).
UCAS chief executive Anthony McClaran told the Guardian it has been a "remarkable year" for undergraduate applications.
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