University places for science and engineering fail to keep pace with UK demand

British students are facing intense competition for science and engineering degree courses due to financial constraints limiting university expansion despite a 14% rise in applications since 2019. The government’s recent funding cuts threaten to exacerbate this issue, as universities struggle to deliver high-cost programs and increasingly rely on international fees, which have been affected by visa policy changes. With graduates from these high-cost subjects significantly more likely to enter critical sectors, concerns are mounting that reduced investment will undermine the UK’s economic growth ambitions.