For the first time in more than a decade, freshman student applications to the University of California system have dropped, particularly among international and out-of-state applicants.

While the decrease is small – roughly 3,100, or 4 percent fewer than a year ago – UC officials said they are concerned about the numbers.

They believe the bulk of the drop-off results from rising student fees, a tightened federal immigration policy and reduced funding for university outreach programs.

International applications were down 18.2 percent, out-of-state applications were down 9.4 percent and California resident applications decreased 2.9 percent.

A 4.7 percent drop in freshman applications at UC San Diego was the second-highest in the system. UCSD, which still received the second highest number of applications in the system, saw significant drops in its number of African-American applicants and those students who would be the first in their family to attend college.

"I think it's something to be concerned about," said Mae Brown, director of admissions at UCSD. "But I want to caution against making sweeping generalizations from one year."

Several educators said the news isn't necessarily bad: The dip means fewer students will be rejected if Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposal to cut UC freshman enrollment by 10 percent is enacted.

"We never welcome a decrease in applications, but given that UC is being asked to cut back by 3,200 students, a slight reduction may actually ease the pressure on the system," said UC spokeswoman Lavonne Luquis. "If there were more applications, then more students would be disappointed."

Still, some educators say the news sends a message about how decreasing numbers of students are willing to pay for the rising cost of a UC education.

"The drop-off in applicants sends a message about the attractiveness of the bundle of goods at UC at that price," said Mike Shires, a professor of public policy at Pepperdine University who has researched access to college in California.

Since December 2002, UC has hiked its undergraduate fees 40 percent to $5,530 a year.

Out-of-state tuition and fees, which have historically been significantly higher, increased about 15 percent, to $19,740 for undergraduates this year.

UC officials say a soft economy and drastic fee increases trigger drop-offs in applications. Growth in the number of students graduating from high school has stabilized, which could lead to a leveling off of applicants.

What concerns some educators is which students aren't applying: Freshman African-American applications dropped 7 percent from last year, to approximately 2,800 throughout the eight-campus, 200,000-student system. First-generation college student applications have also dropped by more than 1,000, to roughly 21,000.