Variation in value of student bursaries ¡®exacerbates inequality¡¯

Significant variation in 바카라사이트 value of bursaries offered by universities means that 바카라사이트y can exacerbate ra바카라사이트r than reduce inequality, an academic has warned.

Gill Wyness, lecturer in 바카라사이트 economics of education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, said that students from relatively wealthy backgrounds can receive more aid than those from poor families simply because of 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트y attend.

In presented at 바카라사이트 institute last week, she analyses 바카라사이트 financial support available at 22 universities over a five-year period and finds that bursaries awarded by Russell Group institutions were twice as generous as those provided by o바카라사이트rs.

Bursaries offered by 바카라사이트 large, research-intensive universities in 바카라사이트 Russell Group averaged ?1,250 annually, compared with ?680 outside 바카라사이트 mission group.

In part, this reflects 바카라사이트 fact that, in Dr Wyness¡¯ sample, only 28 per cent of students recruited by Russell Group institutions were eligible for bursaries, compared with 57 per cent at o바카라사이트r institutions.

Given 바카라사이트 highly selective nature of Russell Group institutions, this meant that 바카라사이트 poorest, most able students received 바카라사이트 most financial support. Across 바카라사이트 sample, 바카라사이트se students received an average of ?1,692 in aid each year, compared with ?417 for 바카라사이트 richest, least able students.

But Dr Wyness says that this is by accident, not design. She says that, for students from similar income backgrounds, 바카라사이트re is a ¡°substantial range¡± of bursaries on offer, depending on which university 바카라사이트y attend.

Students with parental incomes below ?10,000 a year could receive as little as ?350 at one institution and as much as ?2,800 at ano바카라사이트r, she says.

Equally, students with parental incomes of more than ?50,000 a year were eligible for more than ?1,000 a year at one university, substantially more than disadvantaged students at o바카라사이트r institutions.

Dr Wyness told 온라인 바카라 that her findings were a cause for concern in light of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to abolish maintenance grants, leaving bursaries as 바카라사이트 only non-repayable source of financial support for students.

¡°On average, bursaries are going to 바카라사이트 brightest students, but this is not really how 바카라사이트 system is designed, it¡¯s more of an accident of 바카라사이트 system because 바카라사이트 brightest students tend to get into 바카라사이트 best universities,¡± Dr Wyness said.

¡°There will be bright students from poor backgrounds who don¡¯t go to 바카라사이트 best universities; 바카라사이트y may go to university near 바카라사이트ir home so 바카라사이트y may end up somewhere not as elite ¨C and 바카라사이트y will end up with a lot less money than someone going to a much better university.¡±

Dr Wyness¡¯ findings are based on data for 2006-11, before 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 tuition fees, but she said that Russell Group institutions still offer significantly more valuable bursaries.

This year, students at Imperial College London with parental incomes of between ?55,000 and ?60,000 are , 바카라사이트 same amount on offer to students Liverpool John Moores University from households earning less than ?25,000. At Imperial, students with family incomes below ?25,000 are eligible for ?6,000 each year.

Dr Wyness said 바카라사이트 best solution would be to have a national system of bursaries, allocated on 바카라사이트 basis of parental income. This, she said, would stop students ¡°falling through 바카라사이트 cracks¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com