STUDENTS are flocking to study in the Faithful City as the University of Worcester bucks the national trend for applications.

Nationally, interim figures from UCAS have revealed that the number of people applying to study at university has fallen for the second year running, amid a continuing backlash over fees of up to £9,000-a-year.

However, more than 8,000 people have applied to study at the University of Worcester in 2013/14 – a seven per cent rise on this time last year.

The numbers also represent a 10 per cent increase in applications on the equivalent date two years ago, which was a record year nationally and for the university.

Professor David Green, University of Worcester vice chancellor, encouraged young people in the two counties to consider a university education after a fall in applications from local students.

He said: “We are delighted that more people than ever before are applying to study at the University of Worcester. We offer very high quality higher education, and our graduates have an excellent record in securing employment.

“We do have concerns that last year the number of applications by people living in Herefordshire and Worcestershire to study at all universities fell by more than 2,500. We do not wish to see a repeat of that this year.

“Going to university is a very good investment for able and motivated people, and all the evidence shows that university graduates not only earn more, but also live happier and healthier lives.

“It is very much in the interests of society as a whole to have a more well-educated population, after all, graduates make up much of the backbone of the country’s social and economic development.”

According to UCAS, demand for higher education is down by 6.3 per cent or about 18,000 applications.

About 265,000 British students had applied for university places by mid-December, representing the lowest number since the data was first collated in 2008/9.

In total, numbers are down by more than 41,000 -13 per cent -compared with two years ago before the introduction of the new student finance regime.