Student landlords can expect little change in letting demand for the next academic year as the deadline for applications closes.
The agency managing the booking of university places, UCAS, reckons applications are down 23,000 on last year.
With just over a million places on courses up for grabs, the decline represents little or no change despite the rise in tuition fees.
Any shortfall in the number of UK applicants is likely to be taken up by students from overseas.
UCAS is operating a strict deadline for online applications that expires at midnight on Sunday, January 15.
“Students need to make sure they have the right information available for the application,” said a UCAS spokesman.
“If a fee is needed, the system will lock them out after
five unsuccessful attempts to log in.
“Allowing enough time for referees, teachers and schools to add their comments to the application is also important.”
While applications may be down, financial firm American Express reports gap year travel is likely to rise as more 16-24 year olds put off studying for work experience.
Research by the firm reveals that a third of this age group plan to take a year off for travel.
The plan is to earn cash and work experience to ease their way through their studies and to make them more employable.
Around 80% of gap year travellers are ready to work their passage rather than lazing in a place in the sun.
Parents will still dig deep to give them some financial help - with 26% making some contribution, while 11% will fund the entire trip.
Mum and dad also rate higher than the local British embassy as the first place to call for help if anything goes wrong on the trip.
More than half (56%) have set aside cash for major expenses, but 25% of travellers have no budget, planning to "see how it goes".
