EU universities that meet 'equivalent standards' to those in UK will be allowed to use UCAS admissions service

Universities and colleges that can demonstrate that they "meet equivalent standards to those in the UK" will be able to apply for listing through UCAS, allowing UK students to search for their courses and apply through the same platform that they use for UK-based courses, UCAS said in a statement. The change is intended to give students "more choice about where and what to study" and reflect the changing higher education environment, it said.

“This development is entirely consistent with the trend towards the increasing internationalisation of higher education and, as many European institutions now offer courses in English, the increasing use of English as the global language of learning," said universities expert Martin Priestley of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com

"Including non-UK universities on the UCAS list will undoubtedly give some UK universities pause for thought; however, the UK higher education sector is world-leading and UK universities are already used to competing for students. What is certain is that this is likely to be an exciting development for the many students who are keen to benefit from an international education," he said.

Currently, UK students looking to apply to higher education providers elsewhere in the EU must apply to individual institutions directly. Although courses at the Amsterdam Fashion Academy are already accessible through UCAS, these are accredited by the UK's Buckinghamshire New University.

UCAS said that it would not disclose the names of any universities that had applied for listing or the details of their applications. However, the Guardian reported that Groningen University in the Netherlands was "in the process of giving evidence of its accredited status and financial stability" to UCAS, while Maastricht University was "planning to use the service to advertise its courses" to potential applicants.

Dutch universities have proven increasingly popular with UK students due to the number of courses offered in English and the fact that tuition fees are often lower than the 9,000 per year charged in England, according to the Guardian. Maastricht and Groningen universities each have around 400 UK undergraduate and postgraduate students, and charge £1,500 per year. Meanwhile, Germany has recently abandoned tuition fees altogether and the new Paris-Saclay university, due to open this year, plans to offer courses taught in English, according to the BBC.

However, the number of UK students accepted to UK universities reached a record high last year, alongside the highest ever number of students from outside the UK accepted, according to the latest UCAS figures. A total of 699,700 potential students from the UK applied; almost equalling the 700,200 that applied in 2011, the year before the introduction of higher tuition fees in England, according to the service's year-end report for 2014.

UCAS currently provides course search and application services to over 370 universities and colleges, including "a variety of transnational educational opportunities" offered by UK institutions.

"The higher education environment has changed significantly in the last few years with the intention of giving students more choice," UCAS said in a statement. "With more choice in the market there is a need to ensure that student interests are protected."

"We want students who apply for courses through UCAS to be confident that they are applying for a verified qualification at an institution which meets the relevant quality standards. As a consequence, we have reviewed the criteria for access to UCAS services to ensure that they are fit for purpose in this changing environment," UCAS said.

The announcement comes shortly after the UK government said it would impose tougher quality standards on 'alternative' providers of higher education, designed to more closely reflect the requirements placed on universities.