6 UNITE STUDENTS | APPLICANT INDEX REPORT | 2023 This year’s applicants will enter higher education with a greater level of confidence and wellbeing in most areas compared to last year’s cohort, but almost a third have already had their education disrupted due to mental health issues, and not all have the important life and self-care skills that they will need to thrive at university. This year for the first time we assess applicants’ level of independence. Most applicants are confident about living independently and making their own decisions. However, just short of two-thirds are confident about registering with a doctor, and a similar proportion are confident about managing a conflict with a housemate – two areas in which universities and accommodation providers can provide support. A surprising finding in this year’s survey is an improvement in financial confidence, though applicants appear to be realistic about the level of financial support available. They feel more prepared to budget than last year’s applicants and have greater confidence in family and friends to help out if needed. However, support from family is not equally distributed and financial issues are more likely to affect the mental health of applicants from less affluent households. Compared to last year, wellbeing has slightly improved this year and this cohort is less anxious, though levels of anxiety have not dropped back to pre-pandemic levels. There is also a small decrease in the proportion of applicants with a mental health condition, and although this is within the margin of error for the sample size, this is the first time in five years we have not seen a rise. But some groups are affected more than others: over a third of LGB+ applicants and half of Trans applicants have a mental health condition. Black students are happier and more likely to feel loved than any other ethnic group, driven by a higher rate of happiness, greater feeling of being loved and a stronger belief that they are capable of making decisions but, as our previous work on Living Black at University showed, these feelings do not necessarily persist when moving away to university. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY