Ranked: All 24 Russell Group unis by falling popularity – Southampton dropped the most

Southampton saw the biggest fall in applicants of any Russell Group university in the 2025 UCAS cycle, with a 2.6 per cent decrease – while Exeter saw the biggest rise at 15.5 per cent.

According to UCAS data, 99 per cent of students applying for university places in January received at least one offer this year. A total of 1.3 million offers were made to UK-based 18-year-olds, increasing from 1.2 million last year.

The total number of school leavers applying for university and college places through UCAS also rose by five per cent, marking a second year of record figures.

However, according to UCAS data on the 2025 application cycle, some Russell Group universities are getting less popular with applicants.

The University of Leeds saw the second biggest decrease at 1.5 per cent, followed by Cardiff at 1.4 per cent, York at 1.3 per cent, Queen’s University Belfast at one per cent and Imperial at 0.1 per cent.

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Cambridge and Oxford saw the smallest increases of any Russell Group university that grew in applicant numbers, at 1.2 and 1.7 per cent respectively – compared to Birmingham at 10.7 per cent and Exeter at 15.5 per cent.

Here are all 24 Russell Group universities ranked by change in applicant numbers, from biggest decrease to biggest increase, according to UCAS data for the 2025 application cycle.

1. University of Southampton – 2.6 per cent decrease
2. University of Leeds – 1.5 per cent decrease
3. Cardiff University – 1.4 per cent decrease
4. University of York – 1.3 per cent decrease
5. Queen’s University Belfast – 1 per cent decrease
6. Imperial College London – 0.1 per cent decrease
7. University of Cambridge – 1.2 per cent increase
8. University of Oxford – 1.7 per cent increase
9. Newcastle University – 2.1 per cent increase
10. University of Warwick – 2.5 per cent increase
11. University of Glasgow – 2.6 per cent increase
12. Queen Mary University of London – 2.8 per cent increase
13. University of Bristol – 3.1 per cent increase
14. London School of Economics – 4.5 per cent increase
15. University of Edinburgh – 4.6 per cent increase
16. University of Nottingham – 6.5 per cent increase
17. University of Manchester – 7 per cent increase
18. University of Sheffield – 7.1 per cent increase
19. Durham University – 7.5 per cent increase
20. King’s College London – 10.1 per cent increase
21. University College London – 10.2 per cent increase
22. University of Birmingham – 10.7 per cent increase
23. University of Liverpool – 13.3 per cent increase
24. University of Exeter – 15.5 per cent increase

Featured image via Wikimedia Commons