School absence* Last year, school absence due to mental health rose steeply from 30% in 2023 to 36% in 2024; this year’s rate remains stable at 36%, but the duration of absence has increased among those affected. This year, 29% of those missing school were absent for over 20 days, up from 25% last year. However, there is a lower rate of absence among 17-year-old applicants, providing some hope for a future reversal of this worrying trend. School absence is more prevalent among UK based applicants (40%) though it should be noted that it has also affected almost a quarter (23%) of international applicants. In line with last year’s findings, it is more common among female applicants (41%). Gender and sexual minorities are particularly affected. LGB+ applicants (64%) and trans and non-binary applicants (83%) are much more likely to have missed education due to mental health. LGB+ applicants are also more likely to have had longer periods of absence. Applicants with disabilities and health conditions are around twice as likely than average to have been absent from education due to mental health. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 78% of applicants with a mental health condition have missed education due to mental health. Socioeconomic disadvantage also has an impact on school absence – rates are higher for those from socioeconomic group E (57%) and/or those who have qualified for free school meals (52%). *Questions discussed in this section were only asked of respondents who had been in education in the last two years (base=2284)) Unite Students | Applicant Index Report 27 INTRODUCTION THEMATIC ANALYSIS LEARNING METHODOLOGY TOPICAL ISSUES BACK TO THEMES