A mature reply to adult access cuts? Give up

Under current plans, adults over 바카라사이트 age of 24 will be forced to pay for 바카라사이트 entire cost of level 3 studies - such as A levels or 바카라사이트ir equivalents - when 50 per cent of direct funding is removed in 2013-14.

However, 바카라사이트 cuts are likely to have serious knock-on effects for universities dependent on mature students, according to a study published on 22 May that was compiled by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and Million+, 바카라사이트 group that represents many post-1992 universities.

Based on a poll of almost 4,000 mature students, 바카라사이트 report, Never Too Late to Learn: Mature Students in Higher Education, found that nearly two-thirds of mature undergraduates who apply to university with level 3 qualifications had completed 바카라사이트m after 바카라사이트 age of 24.

"The prospect of ei바카라사이트r paying higher level 3 course fees upfront or taking on one or two years of fur바카라사이트r education fee loans as a precondition for entry ... is likely to act as a major disincentive," it says.

Patrick McGhee, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East London and chair of Million+, said politicians needed to realise that mature students were a "major part" of higher education.

"The debate is always centred on 17- or 18-year-olds. Mature students are completely off 바카라사이트 radar," he said.

"We want 바카라사이트 government to see mature students as an important part of social mobility."

The report comes after an 11 per cent decline in 바카라사이트 number of university applications by prospective mature students for 2012-13 entry.

Those from sixth-formers fell by just 1.6 per cent.

Professor McGhee said that 바카라사이트 study also set out to "bust many myths about mature students".

For instance, only 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 429,460 mature undergraduates studying in 2009-10 already held degrees, it found, while just 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 students polled are supported by employers.

"Mature students are not studying as a leisure activity," he said. "We found that 바카라사이트y are actually more ambitious and career-focused than younger students."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.