Sector beating student support

05 July 2012

LJMU is beating the higher education sector when it comes to the support we offer students from low income households, according to a new report from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) and the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE).

The results of the Access agreement and widening participation strategic assessment monitoring Outcomes for 2010-11 Report show that LJMU out-performed the higher education sector in the following areas:

• LJMU spent 30.4% of its additional fee income on access measures (£8.8 million) – 6% higher than sector average of 24.4%. Access measures include financial bursaries and scholarships as well as outreach activities with schools, colleges and target groups.
• LJMU spent 29.3% of its additional fee income on bursaries and scholarships (£8.5 million) - 7.6% higher than the sector average.
• 82.2% (£7.1 million) of LJMU’s bursaries and scholarships in 2010/2011 went to students in the lower income group (which means their household income was less than £50,020), again higher than the sector average of 80.8%.
• 10,053 undergraduate students (67.7% of all students) received a bursary – 21% higher than the sector average.
• 46% of LJMU bursary recipients in 2010/2011 (6,831 students) received the maximum state support (which means they had a household income below £25,000).

Carolyn Williams, Director of Student Recruitment and Widening Access, said:

"LJMU continues to invest significantly in outreach activity to raise aspirations and attainment among people from lower-income backgrounds and other groups currently under-represented in higher education. Following the introduction of variable tuition fees, LJMU is even more committed to maintaining a high level of targeted support as we believe everyone with ability should have the choice and opportunity of going to university."

In addition to awarding bursaries and scholarships, LJMU's Widening Participation team and academic schools works closely with over 300 schools and Further Education colleges across Merseyside. Outreach activities extend beyond Merseyside, as LJMU also has strong relationships with schools and colleges in Northern Ireland.

As part of the University's strategy to raise aspirations and attainment, other activities target pupils in primary schools and other groups, such as first generation into HE, mature students, disabled students, young people who have been in care and specific under-represented Black and Minority Ethnic groups. Furthermore, LJMU’s National Schools’ Observatory enables over 1,200 primary and secondary schools across the UK to access the LJMU robotic telescope online as part of our drive to stimulate interest in STEM subjects.

The University also provides additional investment to support an intensive outreach programme aimed at 1,500 local pupils from 20 target local schools.

The full report (OFFA publication 2012/05, HEFCE publication 2012/13, Access agreement and widening participation strategic assessment monitoring: outcomes for 2010-11) is available at: www.offa.org.uk/publications

To see the range of LJMU and statutory student funding available to undergraduate students, go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/feesandfunding