THE number of degree course applications to the region's universities has risen year-on-year - despite continuing fears about student debt.

All six universities in the North-East and North Yorkshire showed increases in the number of degree course applications by June 30, the closing date for this year's entry.

Ucas (University and Colleges Admissions Service), which released the figures yesterday, said degree course applications overall were up 3.6 per cent, to 437,615.

Leading the way in the region was the University of Northumbria, in Newcastle, where the number of applications jumped by 14.1 per cent, from 17,696 to 20,199.

University spokeswoman Suzanne Kay said: "The university is committed to lifelong learning and accessibility to higher education, with staff taking part in a host of activities to raise the educational aspirations of people of all ages in the region."

She said the number of international applicants to the university was also up, by 50 per cent.

Elsewhere, the next best performing university in the region was the University of Newcastle, which recorded a 11.6 per cent rise, from 25,174 last year to 28,102 this year.

Degree course numbers at Durham University were up 5.9 per cent, from 24,510 to 25,946, and Teesside six per cent, from 9,820 to 10,578. Sunderland University and the University of York also recorded 2.6 and 6.7 per cent rises, respectively, in degree applications.

Darlington-based Terry Bladon, national president of the NAS/UWT teaching union, welcomed the figures but said they did not deflect from the worry that students were now leaving university with debt in some cases running into tens of thousands of pounds.