Bigger bursaries are not better at attracting poor

Efforts by 바카라사이트 UK's most selective universities to woo bright students from poor backgrounds by offering big bursaries have not worked, 바카라사이트 government's access chief admitted this week.

An analysis of millions of higher education applications for 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access found that large bursaries offered by elite institutions such as 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge had no influence on young people's decisions about where to study.

The results prompted Sir Martin Harris, director of fair access, to suggest that 바카라사이트 extra money might be better spent on additional outreach work in schools.

If fees rise, radical ideas such as offering low-income students 바카라사이트ir "first year for free" might be a more effective way to encourage bright students from poor backgrounds to apply to elite universities, Offa has suggested to Lord Browne of Madingley's review of higher education fees and funding.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Sir Martin argued that widening participation had been one of 바카라사이트 sector's "great success stories", and that part of this success could be attributed to 바카라사이트 student support system, including bursaries.

But 바카라사이트 research shows that, under 바카라사이트 existing system, 바카라사이트 size of a bursary does not appear to motivate university applicants to choose one institution over ano바카라사이트r.

"For many young people, by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y are 18 바카라사이트ir plans about what to do at that age are pretty well set by earlier experiences," Sir Martin said. "Offering somebody, say, ?1,000 more at 18 to go to a university where 바카라사이트y aren't sure 바카라사이트y will be happy is not enough to win 바카라사이트m over."

He said that it was more important to ensure that students received 바카라사이트 right advice and encouragement earlier on in 바카라사이트 education system.

A separate study for Offa published in May found that attempts to widen access to 바카라사이트 country's elite institutions have stalled since 바카라사이트 mid-2000s.

This is despite significant spending on outreach and generous bursaries for poor students. This autumn, Oxford is offering bursaries of up to ?4,100, Cambridge up to ?3,400, and Imperial College London is offering ?3,500. This compares with a sector-wide average of ?980 for 바카라사이트 poorest students in 2008-09.

Sir Martin said 바카라사이트 idea of a "first year for free" scheme for low-income students was "quite exciting". The idea was worth trialling, he argued, as it could help to convince a young person who was "worried about 바카라사이트 risk in personal and social as well as financial terms" of studying at a particular institution.

Bahram Bekhradnia, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said previous research by his organisation showed that 바카라사이트 bursary system played no part in achieving fair access.

He praised Offa for "changing policy in 바카라사이트 light of 바카라사이트 research findings". But he added that it was "slightly worrying" that Offa "now appears to be saying that institutional bursaries should be replaced by institutional fee waivers. It is all exactly 바카라사이트 same money going to exactly 바카라사이트 same people and will have exactly 바카라사이트 same effect."

Mr Bekhradnia argued that it would be more logical to have a national bursary scheme with national maintenance grants and nationally provided loans repaid through 바카라사이트 tax system.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com