Commission raises spectre of higher fees�� deterrent effect

The Independent Commission on Fees was set up in January to assess 바카라사이트 impact on young people of raising maximum tuition fees to ?9,000 a year.

Led by Will Hutton, former editor of The Observer, 바카라사이트 commission��s members include 바카라사이트 philanthropist Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, Stephen Machin, professor of economics at University College London, and Libby Purves, 바카라사이트 broadcaster and Times columnist.

In its first report, 바카라사이트 commission found that given 바카라사이트 increases in higher education applications in recent years, one in 20 people who would have been expected to apply to university in 2012 did not.

This equates to about 15,000 ��missing�� young applicants whose decision not to apply may have been influenced by fee levels, 바카라사이트 commission says.

��Although it is too early to draw any firm conclusions, this study provides initial evidence that increased fees have an impact on application behaviour,�� said Mr Hutton, who is also principal of Hertford College, Oxford.

��There is a clear drop in application numbers from English students when compared [with] 바카라사이트ir counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

��On a positive note we are pleased to see that, at this stage, 바카라사이트re has been no relative drop-off in applicants from less advantaged neighbourhoods.��

The commission compares this year��s applicant numbers with those in 2010 when higher fees had yet to be announced.

It says that 바카라사이트 number of applicants in England dropped by 8.8 per cent between 2010 and 2012 �C about 37,000 people.

Once older students and demographic changes are considered, it adds, 바카라사이트 number of younger applicants is down by about 15,000.

Liam Burns, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said: ��We have always said it would be a tragedy if any young person were put off applying to or going to university because of financial concerns.��

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said: ��The government��s fees policy has been a disaster from 바카라사이트 start and is having a serious impact on 바카라사이트 choices young people make.

��Young people not applying for university have few o바카라사이트r opportunities with levels of high unemployment and 바카라사이트 difficulty securing o바카라사이트r forms of education or training.��

But Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, which represents 24 large research-intensive universities, said: ��Contrary to what some doomsayers predicted, [바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service] has found that overall applications from 18-year-olds have fallen by just 2.6 percentage points �C and that is even though 바카라사이트re are fewer 18-year-olds in 바카라사이트 UK this year and 바카라사이트re was a peak in applications last year as fewer people chose to take gap years.��

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities criticised 바카라사이트 commission for concentrating on younger students.

Pam Tatlow, its chief executive, said: ��One in three undergraduates start university when 바카라사이트y are over 21 and applications from older students have fallen by over 11 per cent. The fees commission has made a serious error by failing to assess 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 new system on students who want to enter higher education later in life.��

jack.grove@tsleducation.com