Another Increase in Number of Students Taking up Postgraduate Taught Degrees OfS Data Reports
Another Increase in Number of Students Taking up Postgraduate Taught Degrees OfS Data Reports
New data, released by the Office for Students, shows growth in the number of students beginning courses and also a widening of participation in postgraduate taught study, following the introduction of the masters’ loans scheme.
Key Take Aways
The proportion of students who were eligible for a loan and took one out was greatest among:
- Students aged 25 and under on entry
- Black students
- Students who declared a disability
- Students from lowest-participation areas.
Impact of the Masters’ Loan Scheme
The Masters’ Loan Scheme, introduced in 2016, offering loans of up to £10,000, was designed to assist students with tuition fees and living costs.
As we previously reported, the introduction of the scheme led to a 22% increase in the numbers of students studying postgraduate taught courses in the 2016/17 academic year. A jump to 90,600 students beginning full-time taught postgraduate courses at English HEIs.
The new data, published alongside data from the Intentions After Graduation Survey, shows there was an overall increase in entrant numbers to eligible courses, while there was a slight decrease in the number of entrants on non-eligible courses:
Additionally, single-year transition rates straight from undergraduate degree to postgraduate study saw a similar increase in students to eligible courses.
Widening PGT Participation
The new data shows a key effect of the loans has been to widen participation on eligible postgraduate taught courses.
There has been a larger increase in entrant numbers on eligible courses for black students than for white students, which has resulted in a change in the ethnic composition of the postgraduate entrant population.
The number of students with a declared disability increased from 12% in 2015/16 to 15% in 2016/17.
But the proportional increase in entrant numbers on eligible courses, and increases in one-year transition rates, has been greatest for students from the lowest-participation areas.
A Welcomed Increase
Following the release of the data, Professor Rosemary Deem, UKCGE Chair, said:
“The UKCGE welcomes this further increase in the number of postgraduate masters’ students, since the introduction of postgraduate masters’ loans. Widening participation at postgraduate level, thus creating a diverse and inclusive postgraduate community, is essential if talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have gained a first degree are able to continue their education as postgraduates. It is especially encouraging to see that some of the largest increases in numbers include those from low-participation areas, black students and students with a disability.
However, we must be mindful of the levels of debt being placed upon new graduates and therefore, we must as a sector ensure that the quality of provision and value offered by postgraduate taught education remains high.”
And Office for Students director for access and participation Chris Millward said:
“Postgraduate loans have enabled more graduates to realise their ambitions to study at masters’ level. We knew from research (Note 5) that finance plays a major part in the ability of individuals to undertake postgraduate study.
“There is a long way to go to address gaps in the participation and progression of underrepresented groups in higher education, including at postgraduate level, but it is encouraging to see that the largest increases in those taking up postgraduate study are among those from the most under-represented groups.”
