UCAS announces new initiatives to increase university access for disadvantaged students.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has announced a new initiative that will support the progression of disadvantaged students to university.
The new measures are being launched in response to concerns about stalling progress in widening participation. UCAS claims:
“While the higher education (HE) sector has made significant strides in supporting disadvantaged students in the past decade, progress has slowed in recent years.”
UCAS will waive application fees for students receiving free school meals.
From September 2024, the £28.50 application fee will be removed for students who are in receipt of free school meals (FSM).
This means that any student who has received FSM at any point within the six years leading up to their university applications will be eligible for a fee waiver.
Whilst the application fee is not a barrier for most, with 90 percent saying they did not need any financial help to cover the cost, those receiving free school meals are among the most likely to struggle to pay the cost.
Only 19.1 percent of 18-year-olds eligible for free school meals go to university, compared to 36.4 percent of those who do not claim free school meals.
In a new survey by Teacher Tapp, nearly two in three teachers agreed the fee waiver would help FSM students to progress to higher education.
Applicants will be able to view historic entry grades data and offer rates displayed for each course.
Previous UCAS research found that 49 percent of applicants were admitted with lower than published entry requirements. UCAS intends for the tool to show students both offer rates and the historic grades held by previous successful applicants on admission to a particular course, alongside the listed entry requirements published by universities.
UCAS claims that:
“The measure is intended to increase transparency around the admissions process, allowing students to better understand how their predicted or achieved grades compare to those of previous successful applicants to the courses they are interested in, and helping them to make informed, ambitious choices.”
When testing the tool with students, 78% believed the entry grade tool to be extremely or very useful to them.
Dr Jo Saxton, Chief Executive at UCAS, said:
“In my career I have both led some of the most disadvantaged schools in the country and taught in leading universities. Not only have I seen first-hand the challenges faced by the students but also the transformational impact higher education can have.
“In my new role, I want to ensure UCAS does everything it can to ensure more students from disadvantaged backgrounds can benefit from the life-changing experience of university.
"Applying through UCAS is only one part of a much broader journey students take, which starts as early as primary school. As a sector, we need a fresh conversation on how to address the stubbornly persistent gaps in participation and how we can collectively help accelerate progress in widening access and participation.”
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