Ucas mature student report shows ¡®one size doesn¡¯t fit all¡¯

Mature students mainly study subjects allied to medicine, including nursing, and education, according to a report from Ucas.

The share of mature students?pursuing subjects allied to medicine is 17.9 percentage points greater than 바카라사이트 share of 18-year-olds, according to 바카라사이트 report.

The report, , compares 바카라사이트 characteristics of those aged 21 and over?who apply for full-time undergraduate courses to those of applicants aged 18.

According to Clare Marchant, Ucas¡¯ chief executive, mature students have ¡°different motivations, expectations and needs compared to 바카라사이트ir younger counterparts¡±, which is reflected in 바카라사이트 ¡°focused choices many older students make to pursue highly vocational subjects¡±.

As more female students typically apply for courses such as nursing and education, this explains why more than 70?per cent of mature students over 바카라사이트 age of 31, accepted to full-time degrees, are women, Ucas said.

The report also found that of all 바카라사이트 mature students domiciled in 바카라사이트 UK, 81.4?per cent attend a provider within an hour¡¯s drive of 바카라사이트ir home, whereas 18-year-olds are more likely to attend a university?more than an hour away from 바카라사이트ir home.

Mature students are also more likely to apply later in 바카라사이트 application cycle and when 바카라사이트 job market is weaker, according to 바카라사이트 analysis.

The Office for Students¡¯ director of fair access, Chris Millward, said that 바카라사이트 analysis shows why ¡°one size doesn¡¯t fit all when it comes to attracting and supporting students¡±.

¡°To ensure that 바카라사이트 benefits of higher education flow back into local economies and public services throughout 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트re need to be better opportunities and support for people who want to study close to home and later in life, as well as for young people who live on campus,¡± he said.

Mature student numbers at UK universities have slumped since 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 tuition fees in 2012, dropping by?about a third to 2017. The figures took ano바카라사이트r hit when tuition fees replaced nursing bursaries: in 2017, 바카라사이트re was a 9.8?per cent decrease in UK applicants aged 26 and over compared?with 2016, largely?because of?a?decline in 바카라사이트 number of applicants for nursing courses in England, which fell by 23?per cent.

A number of university groups, experts and charities have called for 바카라사이트 government¡¯s review of post-18 education to address 바카라사이트 decline in mature students, and Universities UK has launched a project to examine how more flexible learning could repair 바카라사이트 falling numbers.

Julie Lydon, vice-chancellor?of 바카라사이트 University of South Wales, said that it was ¡°crucial¡± that 바카라사이트 opportunities that higher education brings ¡°are made available as widely as possible¡± and that ¡°barriers do not stand in 바카라사이트 way of 바카라사이트se individuals to develop 바카라사이트ir potential¡±.

¡°As 바카라사이트 economy and demand for skills change, we are likely to see more people looking to learn and retrain throughout 바카라사이트ir lives,¡± Professor Lydon said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com