LONDON, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Applications from Chinese undergraduates to study at British universities have increased by 30 percent since last year, with numbers exceeding those from Northern Ireland for the first time, according to official statistics released Thursday.

Ucas, the university and college admissions service, revealed in its latest report that it had received 19,760 applications from students in China this year, accounting for about three percent of the total. Last year the number of Chinese applicants was 15,240.

For the first time, the Chinese applicants, slightly more than 18,520 from Northern Ireland, has become the fourth largest group after those in England, Scotland and Wales.

It is believed that the real figure will be higher as not all Chinese applications are made via Ucas.