Part-time Students And part-time Study In Higher ... - Universities UK

However, there were significant differences in relation to: gender; family type; level of entryqualification; employment status; social class; qualification aim; expected duration of course andincome.The following students groups were over-represented among those studying less than 50 per centof a full-time course compared with those studying more than this:• students whose highest qualification at the start of the current course was a first degree orhigher (31%);• students on courses not leading towards a qualification (61%) and on ‘other’ undergraduatescourses (38%);• students on courses of one year or less (40%); and• students with a personal annual income of £35,000 and over (30%) and household incomes of£50,000 and over (30%).In contrast, the following students groups were under-represented among those studying less than50 per cent of a full-time course compared with those studying more than this:• lone parents (16%);• students without paid employment (17%);• students from the lowest social classes (19%);• students on courses last three years (15%) and five years (16%); and• students with personal (19%) and household (15%) incomes of less than £15,499 per annum.These findings suggest that the most vulnerable students financially were not excluded from thetwo main sources of student support because of their intensity of study.• Level of entry qualificationAnother group of students ineligible for student support are those who already have a Level 4qualification at the start of their course. Overall, one third of surveyed students had a Level 4qualification, but for the sample of students for whom we could calculate eligibility for studentsupport this represents 48 per cent of students. Eight per cent of students already had a Level 4qualification and studies for less than 50 per cent of a FTE course, hence, 61 per cent of studentswere excluded from student grants because they had a Level 4 qualification and/or were studyingfor less than 50 per cent of a full-time course.When these students were examined together with those studying less than 50 per cent of a fulltimecourse, we see that very similar student groups are affected, as those discussed above. Thus,there were no significant differences between students studying less than 50 per cent without aLevel 4 qualification and those studying more than this also without a Level 4 qualification in termsof their gender, age and whether or not they were distance or non-distance learners.Part-time students and part-time study: Strand 3 Universities UK 52