University of New England: 'Double-digit' growth of UNE student numbers, despite pandemic

More school-leavers than ever signed up for tertiary education at UNE in 2022, according to a university spokesperson.

"Overall UNE has seen double-digit percentage growth in applicants for 2022 compared to 2021," she said.

University Admissions Centre (UAC) data, released this week, illustrated a dramatic growth in tertiary education across the country.

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Despite the pandemic, and financial carnage at Australia's tertiary sector, some 71,875 people applied to become university students for the first time at the end of 2021.

It's an increase of 2,328 on 2020, according to the stats.

There was similar growth at the north-west university.

Some 485 school-leavers applied for a degree at UNE at the end of 2021, up 59 since 2020, according to UAC data.

Just one-in-20 new UNE students apply through the centre.

The largest group of new domestic UNE applicants are mature age students who apply directly to the university to study. Even most school leavers apply directly through the UNE early entry scheme.

All three categories have seen growth in 2021, according to a UNE spokesperson.

UAC also processed an additional 89,000 applications by new students on behalf of individual universities.

UNE plans to grow to 10,000 students within a decade.

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