A study by the Press Association revealed that young people from the most disadvantaged areas of the UK are four times less likely to apply than their more advantaged peers.
While 70.3 per cent of teenagers in Wimbledon, south London, applied to university, for instance, the application rate of teens living in Havant, Hampshire was 17.4 per cent.
The research also showed that London had the highest application rate, with 47 per cent of youngsters applying to university, while the South West had the lowest, with 32 per cent.
Researchers analysed UCAS data of 18-year-olds applying to university this year following concerns over a lack of social mobility in education. The gap between rich and poor students gaining university places reached record highs last year. The statistics also showed that young people in Conservative seats were slightly more likely to apply to university than those living in Labour seats.
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