Attractiveness Of Engineering: Can Supply Meet Demand in UK Undergraduate Higher Education

This paper investigates undergraduate engineering admissions in the UK, focusing on supply and demand dynamics within the sector. Interest in UK undergraduate engineering education appears to be gaining momentum. Despite rising applications, engineering admissions have remained static as universities are actively limiting student intake. Assessing the ability of higher education institutions to meet this demand is crucial, particularly in light of financial instability across universities. Traditionally, research into the attractiveness of engineering education has centred on increasing student interest and participation. However, university and applicant behaviours are changing. Using secondary quantitative analysis of five years of UCAS data, this paper highlights increasing rejection rates, a growing trend of applicants ignoring or declining offers, and a shift in accepted qualifications. These changes will have tangible impacts on the size and shape of engineering higher education. Financial constraints and institutional strategies are now shaping admissions trends more than applicant demand and we need to turn our attention to the sector's capacity to accommodate rising demand. This is important, as who we admit impacts everything we do thereafter.