Amidst the controversy and concern over how university tuition ought to be funded, none has drawn so much ire as the maintenance grants for poorer students. Student groups everywhere have condemned its abolition but now the Russell Group head (the 24-strong elite group of research universities) has called on the government to reinstate it.
Russell Group’s New Proposal
Abolished in 2016, the Maintenance Grant was a non-refundable payment made to students from poorer backgrounds. It was worth £3,387 for each student. But now that has been replaced with loans which makes the less well off deeply concerned about funding. Tim Bradshaw, the head of The Russell Group, stated that the loss of grants is making some students pass over going to university. Its reinstatement will encourage them to think again. We’ll see an increase in the number of applications and greater competition.
But the recommendation is not simply a restoration of the old grant. Bradshaw has recommended a new approach – essentially granting the equivalent of a “living wage” to students who, when they were school pupils, would have been eligible for free school meals. That means the poorest in society. It comes amid mounting criticism of Ox-Bridge and The Russell Group who stand accused of not accepting enough underprivileged students into their universities.
Student Loans “Complicated”
The current system of student loans is complicated and confusing with many myths about it. Government tinkering has left people to be concerned about what they need to repay and when. Bradshaw suggests that the introduction of a new grant based on these strict criteria will help dispel confusion and concern. Also, many of these students rely on parental reimbursement after their studies have ended – and parents can rarely afford to do so, even when the student is earning over the threshold.
What the government may not have considered is geographical location. London is by far the most expensive place to study with Oxford following closely behind. There are concerns that students are no longer choosing courses based on suitability, or one that will allow them to pursue their interests, but on geography and cost of living alone – which means more expensive areas will attract only those able to afford to study there.
The War of Words between Government and Universities
This can be seen as the latest salvo in the war of words between a government that increased tuition fees and abolished grants, and universities who will favour highest performing students who have had access to the best education standards. The government has pledged to make the system fairer after acknowledging that we now have one of the most expensive in the world. It was also revealed that students from better-off families were 5.5 times more likely to go to university than those from poorer backgrounds.