Applications for degrees in fields such as podiatry have fallen by almost 20 per cent since last year, with less than half of applications in some institutions.
It is thought that the decline in applications coincides with the government’s decision to withdraw its bursary funding. It is feared that some small courses could become too expensive to run if numbers dip too low.
London and the southeast saw the worst application rates, and shortfalls were more prevalent among mature candidates.