13 January 2010
million+ report calls for "equality" in funding for part-time students
Leading university think-tank million+ have today called for a single fees system for full-time and part-time students in Higher Education.
The ‘Fair Funding for All’ report, which will be launched today (13 January) in the House of Commons, recommends that university should be free at the point of study and sets out a unified package of student support for all undergraduates.
The report, developed with London Economics, highlights the “inequality” of treatment for part-time students in the current fees system:
- Part-time students are required to pay all fees upfront whilst full-time students do not pay anything until completion of their degree.
- Unlike full-time students, part-time students do not have access to any student loans.
“The 2004 Higher Education Act was not even-handed in its treatment of students,” said Professor Les Ebdon, Chair of million+ and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire. “In spite of the long tradition of British universities offering flexible and part-time routes to study, the current differential treatment of full-time and part-time students limits the development of flexible options to study, undermines widening participation and creates inequity in institutional income.”
Ending the unfair treatment of part-time students, abolishing upfront fees and offering all students a support package will leave students £67 million better off and universities £91 million better off each year. The £158 million cost to the Exchequer of introducing the model can be eliminated with only a 0.5% increase in the rate levied on student loans.
The million+ report also proposes tightening the repayment criteria for student loans with an end to the graduate repayment ‘holiday’ and an extension of the repayment period from 25 years to 35 years, as is currently the case in Scotland. The extra £1 billion generated for the Exchequer should be invested by government to address the under-funding of teaching and to deliver expansion, increased participation and a highest quality higher education system that can compete in the international market.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- million+ is a university think-tank which uses research and evidence based policy to solve complex problems in higher education.
- London Economics is a leading European economic consultancy with global experience.
- ‘Fair Funding for All’ will be launched at the House of Commons on Wednesday 13th January 2010. Speakers at the event include Professor Les Ebdon, Pam Tatlow (Chief Executive, million+), Wes Streeting (President, NUS), Paul Farrelly MP and Gavan Conlon, London Economics.
- The report can be downloaded at www.millionplus.ac.uk/research/fair-funding-for-all
- For more information please contact Victoria Mills on 0207 7171655 or 07900 277819
Differentiators between part-time and full-time students:
- Part-time students receive an average grant of £360 per annum whilst full-time students receive an average grant of £1405. Grants are provided by the Government and are not paid back by the student.
- Full-time students receive an average maintenance loan of £3758 whilst part-time students do not have access to any form of student loan.
- Very few part-time students are able to receive any fees support as fee grants are only available to students on courses equivalent to more than 50% of a full-time course; in reality the majority of part-time courses are between 30 and 50% of a full-time course.
- Thresholds for household income are much lower than those for full-time students.