The number of students in Britain applying for university places has fallen this year, but by less than had been feared.

The universities admissions service says applications are down six per cent on this time last year.

There had been concern that the drop was going to be much greater following the introduction of tuition fees for the 1998 intake.

A rush of late applications resulted in 20,817 less students for university places to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Trainer: Disagrees with tuition fees

A bigger drop might have been expected given that 26,000 students, who had intended to have a year out of education, took up university places in the summer to avoid £1,000 fees.

The National Union of Students President, Doug Trainer, said: "Tuition fees are wrong but students have to apply to go on to higher education and should not miss out on that opportunity."

The Education Minister, Baroness Blackstone, said the figures show the Government is getting across its message that higher education will still be be good value.

She said: "There has been a small decrease in applications as of December 15.

"But there is also evidence that more students have been sending in applications later as they studied and understood the detail of our new proposals for student funding."

The UCAS chief executive, Tony Higgins said the reduction in applications was "not unexpected and might in the end be unexceptional."

The UCAS figures

• 1994 Entry - 339778
• 1995 Entry - 346314
• 1996 Entry - 340711
• 1997 Entry - 347037
• 1998 Entry - 326220

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