§ Dr. FrancisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the proportion of(a) part-time and (b) full-time mature students entering higher education in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001. [R] [31468]
§ Margaret HodgeThe available data for 1999 and 2000 are given in the table. Corresponding data for 2001 will be available in April 2002. Latest figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), covering full-time first degree and HND courses only, show that 63,700 home domiciled students aged 21 or over were accepted for entry in autumn 2001, an increase of 9.5 per cent. compared to the previous year. UCAS does not cover students applying for part-time undergraduate courses.
The Government have introduced additional financial help for student parents, the great majority of whom are mature, including a child care grant and a travel and equipment grant.
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Home domiciled undergraduate entrants 1 in the UK Thousand 1999–2000 2000–01 Number Percentage Number Percentage Full-time Young2 277.4 73 276.1 73 Mature2 103.1 27 103.1 27 Total 380.5 100 379.3 100
Home domiciled undergraduate entrants 1 in the UK Thousand 1999–2000 2000–01 Number Percentage Number Percentage Part-time Young2 23.7 9 24.5 8 Mature2 249.1 91 274.7 92 Total 272.8 100 299.2 100 1 Census count as at 1 December. Covers first degree, HND, HNC and all other undergraduate courses in both HE and FE institutions. 2 Young entrants are those aged under 21, mature are those aged 21 or over.