Your chance to ask UCAS anything

When it comes to progression into undergraduate education, there’s one consistent element we can be certain about each year – there is always a big question shaping each cycle that needs answering.

When I first started in the sector as a policy officer, it was what impact would the increase in tuition fees have on demand for higher education. In the mid-2010s, it was around the impact of qualifications. During the pandemic, we faced questions on what it would mean for progress in widening access, and in more recent years, the big question has been about places for international students versus UK domiciled students.

So, as a Wonkhe reader, what do you think the big question is today?

Understanding the progression landscape requires deep insights into who is applying, what courses are in demand, offers and acceptances, and changes in trends over time. At UCAS, we have deep insight and reach through the support we provide to about 750,000 applicants a year. And each year, we publish more than 8 million data points. Central to our mission is helping others to interpret and understand this open data and insight – answering the big questions facing the sector.

As the upcoming Festival of Higher Education draws closer, there’s an opportunity for you, Wonkhe readers, to vote for the key question you would like answered in the “UCAS: ask us anything” session on Day Two of the programme.

This is your chance to shape this session by voting for your top three questions from the following list:

1. Are more students living at home?
2. Are people gravitating to higher tariff providers?
3. How do offers drive decisions and response?
4. What are UCAS’ latest projections for future demand?
5. What do students tell us informs their decisions?
6. What do we know about student mental health?
7. What doors do different qualifications open?
8. What have we learned from the new WP questions?
9. What is happening with international demand?
10. What is happening with predicted grades?
11. What is happening with regional participation?
12. What is happening with widening access?
13. What is the story of mature students?
14. What subjects are growing and declining in interest?
15. Who uses Clearing, and how? (and what do we know about students that decline their place?)

Submit your answers here

Alternatively, if there’s another question or topic that you’d like answered, let us know – there’s an option on the form to do this or you can drop team Wonkhe a line.