Executive Summary This year’s applicants will enter higher education with a higher level of optimism about their future employability, but less financial confidence and with significantly lower confidence in their academic skills compared to the previous two cohorts. Furthermore, about a third think it likely that they will not take up their place at university, though the majority of these only think it ‘somewhat likely’. Qualitative data suggests that this cohort is carrying a strong sense of loss due to the pandemic which, for most respondents, took place in their early teens. This encompasses both learning and social losses, leaving a legacy of missed opportunities, poorer concentration and motivation, and a strong sense of social anxiety. Learning confidence may also have been affected by school absence due to mental health, which has increased further this year from last year’s already high base of 30%. Over a third (36%) of this year’s applicants have missed school or college over the last two years due to their mental health, rising to 39% among UK applicants. Rates of absence due to mental health are higher among female applicants than male, and significantly higher among LGBTQ+ applicants. While most absences due to mental health are short, almost one in ten (9%) of all applicants have been absent for more than 20 days due to mental health. Among those who had been absent, 43% thought they would need to miss teaching time at university due to their mental health. This represents a significant minority (15%) of the total applicant population. Overall, financial confidence among this year’s cohort is slightly lower than last year and on a par with attitudes in 2022. Confidence in budgeting skills is down on last year, and two in five applicants say that financial issues are affecting their mental health, which is an increase from last year: cost of living is their area of greatest concern. Applicants described in their own words the impact of cost of living on their choice of university, with one in five mentioning location. Comments suggested that some applicants were choosing cheaper options, including limiting their choices to more budget-friendly cities. Others had made a financial choice to live at home, though when asked about their accommodation intentions, there was no evidence that we will see a higher rate of living at home this year. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Unite Students | Applicant Index Report 6 INTRODUCTION THEMATIC ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY TOPICAL ISSUES BACK TO CONTENTS