The biggest fall in university applications in more than 30 years has seen the number of candidates applying to study law drop by a record 5.2%, according to figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

Last year 13,858 people applied to study law at 26 universities that supplied figures to UCAS, but this year the number applying to start their course in autumn 2012 fell to 13,139.

Overall, the figures show that 9% fewer students have applied for a place at university to read all subjects this year. Fifteen institutions reported a decline in applicants with one university, City University London, saying applications were down by more than 10%.

Some schools report teenagers from poorer families are proving more hesitant about applying than middle-class pupils. This could be because they are being deterred by fees rising to a maximum of £9,000 next year, which will concern ministers, who claim their finance package is designed to favour the least well off.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics on education for the post 16-year-olds will be published later this week. They are expected to show an increase in the number of young people interested in apprenticeships and school-leaver recruitment schemes run by professional firms as an alternative to university.