UCAS, Department for Education and apprenticeship statistics reveal changing trends in how young people enter higher education and the workforce.
Young people are increasingly choosing apprenticeships alongside, and in some cases instead of, traditional university degrees as rising tuition fees and growing demand for skilled workers reshape post-18 education choices.
Official figures show 564,940 students were accepted onto university courses in 2024, up from 554,465 in 2023, according to UCAS.
Apprenticeship starts in England also continued to rise, increasing from 337,140 in 2022/23 to 353,500 in 2024/25, according to Department for Education statistics.
For Louis Turpin, 19, from Cambridge, choosing an apprenticeship came down to both cost and career prospects.
Set to begin a quantity surveying apprenticeship this autumn, he believes the vocational route offers a more financially secure pathway into the industry.
Turpin said: “Cost was a major factor for me. With the changes to the student loan system, I see a university degree as long-term debt.
“An apprenticeship allows me to earn a degree without taking on those costs.”
He also believes entering the workplace immediately will accelerate his career.
Turpin added: “I’ll be learning on the job while gaining qualifications, which means I’ll be building experience much earlier.”
Although universities continue to attract significantly larger numbers of students overall, the strongest recent growth has been in higher and degree apprenticeships, particularly across digital technology, engineering and professional services.
Turpin said: “In the long term, I hope that gives me the skills and knowledge to take on bigger projects, more responsibility and progress within a company.”
Fig 1: Line graph showing University vs apprenticeships participation trends to nearest 100 from 2019-2024 Credit: UCAS End of Cycle Data
Both routes were disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic but have since recovered.
University acceptances reached 564,940 in 2024, while apprenticeship starts climbed to their highest level since the pandemic.
The fastest growth has occurred in higher-level programmes. Degree apprenticeship starts rose from 50,110 to 60,350 between 2023/24 and 2024/25, reflecting increasing employer demand for technical and professional skills.
Former UCAS chief executive Clare Marchant believes growing interest shows apprenticeships are no longer viewed as a second-choice option.
“Almost half of all UCAS users” are interested in apprenticeships, she said, arguing that displaying apprenticeship opportunities alongside university courses would create ‘real parity’ between the two routes.
Growth has been particularly strong in sectors experiencing skills shortages.
Digital technology apprenticeships now account for nearly 8% of all apprenticeship starts, while engineering, manufacturing, healthcare and professional services have all expanded in recent years.
Fig 2: Bar graph showing fasted growing apprenticeship subject areas in England from 2019-2024/5 Credit: Department for Education Apprenticeship and Traineeship Statistics
Digital technology apprenticeship starts increased by more than 57% over five years, driven by growing demand for occupations including cybersecurity analysts, software developers and data technicians.
Engineering and manufacturing also recorded sustained growth, alongside education and early years, and legal, finance and accounting.
Jennifer Coupland, former chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, believes perceptions of post-18 education are changing.
She said: “Over the past 20 years, learners have viewed higher education as the only entry into the world of high-skilled work.”
However recent apprenticeship growth suggests young people are increasingly considering alternative routes into skilled careers.
While apprenticeships are becoming increasingly popular, universities remain the dominant destination for school leavers.
But application patterns suggest students are becoming more selective about which subjects they study.
Fig 3: Bar chart showing the decline in UK university applications by subject (2019–2024). Credit: UCAS.
Humanities and creative arts subjects, including English, history, drama and media studies, have experienced some of the largest falls in applications over the past five years.
Education analysts suggest rising tuition fees, living costs and concerns over graduate debt are encouraging students to prioritise courses with clearer employment outcomes.
Government criticism of so-called ‘low-value’ degrees and reductions in arts funding may also have influenced perceptions of these subjects.
Rather than replacing university, apprenticeships are becoming an established alternative.
As employers expand paid training opportunities and students increasingly weigh the financial return of higher education, the UK’s post-18 landscape is gradually shifting towards a broader mix of academic and vocational pathways.
Feature image: Goldsmiths, University of London
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