Anne Murdoch, Senior Adviser in College Leadership at the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to UCAS data showing applications for early deadline courses.
“It is disappointing that there has been no real increase in the number of UK 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, applying to the most selective universities and courses. Although the numbers have been moving in the right direction in recent years, progress has been slow and must not be allowed to stall.
“Increased tuition fees are hardly conducive to improving this situation, particularly while the level of maintenance loans remains so low as to not sufficiently cover living costs in many cases. This effectively puts these prestigious courses out of the reach of many disadvantaged families and it is something the government has to tackle in its forthcoming review.”