If you lack GCSE English and maths, you won't be able to obtain the student loan, reports say Government to consult on requiring strong exam grades for student finance eligibility
Under proposals to be announced this week by the Department of Education (DfE), students from disadvantaged backgrounds in England might not be able to attend university unless they gain strong GCSE or A-level grades.
The Department for Education’s proposals, which will be put to consultation after publication, will include new minimum entry requirements for the university to ensure pupils “aren’t being pushed into higher education before they are ready”.
To prevent leading to an explosion of unproductive academic programs, ministers said the move would make sure poor-quality, low-cost courses don't thrive.
According to Oxford Blue News, "poor quality" courses will be defined as those with a low proportion of graduates obtaining jobs or entering further education, and a high level of dropouts.
The ministers have also proposed improving post-16 vocational education, including the provision of student loans to adults.
The Department for Education has also launched a consultation in order to change the way college applicants apply to universities - to what is known as a "post-qualification admissions" program.
This would mean that admissions would be based on the grades students achieve instead of predictions.
Alistair Jarvis CBE, chief executive of Universities UK said that they are awaiting the details of the government's proposals, but they "strongly oppose measures that would set back advancements made by universities in getting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education and into better-paying jobs."
A DfE spokesperson has said in a statement to the Daily Mail that 'Our universities are a great British success story. They are powerhouses of innovation and are playing a key part in revolutionising the skills system, helping make lifelong learning possible with more flexibility and technical training.'
He also further stated 'But we need to ensure that we are creating opportunities that will not only open doors but will develop the talent our country needs to prosper now and in the future.'
Ministers argue, however, that the reforms should encourage more young people to consider apprenticeships and higher education. Universities have already been told they will have some responsibility for offering courses that lead to good jobs.
Moreover, Varsity reports that the proposal also calls for freezing tuition fees for the next two years and introducing limits on the number of students. The Department for Education (DfE) reported in March last year that the value of outstanding loans stood at £161bn and was forecast to increase to about £500bn by 2043.
The UCAS university admissions service reports that 320,000 sixth formers have applied to university so far, compared with 306,000 at the same time last year. It is worthwhile to note that a record number of applications were made by students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK.
