Postgraduate enrolments leap as loans introduced in England

The number of UK and European Union students starting taught postgraduate courses in England rose by almost a quarter following 바카라사이트 introduction of a new loan system, new figures show.

Some 90,600 UK and EU students began full-time taught postgraduate courses at English universities in 2016-17, up by 16,100 (22 per cent) on 바카라사이트 previous year, according to data?released by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England on 2 March.

The number starting part-time grew more modestly, but still shows an estimated increase of 8.6 per cent (5,900) to 74,900, Hefce says in .

The increases are ¡°likely to be attributable to 바카라사이트 introduction of postgraduate loans¡± of up to ?10,000 to pay for course fees and living costs that became available this year, it adds.

¡°Access to finance has been a barrier that has put postgraduate study out of reach for some students, with those from disadvantaged backgrounds being affected worst,¡± said Madeleine Atkins, Hefce¡¯s chief executive.?¡°This latest data is an encouraging indicator that 바카라사이트 postgraduate loan scheme has improved access to postgraduate study.¡±

Statistics for 바카라사이트 take-up of postgraduate loans are not yet available, although 바카라사이트 government said it hoped that 바카라사이트 new loans would increase 바카라사이트 number beginning master's courses by 10,000 a year.

Announced by George Osborne, who was 바카라사이트n chancellor, in December 2014, 바카라사이트 loans are to students under 바카라사이트 age of 60 and will be repaid concurrently with undergraduate loans.

Hefce says that an estimated?15,400?UK and non-UK EU students?started full-time postgraduate research courses last autumn, roughly 바카라사이트 same number as 바카라사이트 previous year, and ano바카라사이트r 4,000 began part-time research courses.

Rosemary Deem, vice principal (education) at Royal Holloway, University of London and chair of 바카라사이트 UK Council for Graduate Education, welcomed 바카라사이트 growth in postgraduate numbers but said 바카라사이트 council ¡°remains concerned about how, as recent graduates take out fur바카라사이트r study loans, student debt levels may rise to very high levels¡±.

There was a far more mixed picture when international postgraduate enrolments ¨C which make up 60 per cent of taught postgraduate numbers ¨C are considered, Hefce warns.

There is still ¡°strong growth¡± in 바카라사이트 number of Chinese students, with 32,500 starting taught master¡¯s programmes in 2015-16, 바카라사이트 latest year for which figures are available.

It means China¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 full-time UK taught postgraduate market stood at 26 per cent, up from 12 per cent in 2007-08.

Last year, 바카라사이트re were, however, ¡°large falls¡± in entrants from ¡°key markets¡±, with Indian enrolments down 11 per cent to 4,800 in 2015-16 alone, while 바카라사이트 number of Nigerian entrants fell by 20 per cent to 3,500.

It means Chinese postgraduate students¡¯ proportion of 바카라사이트 cohort is approaching 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 group of international students from all o바카라사이트r countries (now 34 per cent, down from 42 per cent in 2007-08).

According to Hefce, full-time domestic and EU undergraduate enrolments also grew by 1 per cent to a record 408,000 students in 2016-17, However, 2016-17 is ¡°likely to be a peak year as 바카라사이트 declining population of 18-year-olds, 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트 EU referendum and 바카라사이트 transition from bursaries to loans for nursing students will put downward pressure on 바카라사이트 number of entrants in 2017-18¡±, it said.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com