Fees have not put poorer students off university

26 Apr 07
Poorer students are not deterred from applying to university, despite the introduction of variable tuition fees, according to the latest figures.

27 April 2007

Poorer students are not deterred from applying to university, despite the introduction of variable tuition fees, according to the latest figures.

The 'snapshot' application statistics, released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service this week, show that the proportion of English applicants from the bottom four socioeconomic groups has increased slightly from 31.9% to 32.3%. The introduction of the new fee regime was dogged by concerns that it could deter those from poorer families from entering higher education, and ministers and university leaders alike greeted the latest figures as encouraging.

Sir Martin Harris, director of the Office for Fair Access, established to ensure the new fee regime does not have an adverse effect on poorer students, said: 'I am reassured by the continued rise in applications to English institutions for 2007, and by the evidence that the proportion of those applying from lower socioeconomic groups remains stable.'

Despite the encouraging figures, Offa is running a campaign to encourage applicants to find out if they are eligible for bursaries, a spokeswoman said.

Professor Drummond Bone, president of Universities UK, said it was clear that people continued to regard higher education as a worthwhile investment. He added: 'We are not complacent, though, and recognise that there is always more that can be done. We are all working hard to ensure the system of no upfront fees and university bursaries is better understood.'

Higher education minister Bill Rammell said all students should be confident there was no financial barrier to them studying wherever they chose.

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