December 09

See the full article on the BBC website

Students 'in the dark' over bursary information
student advice centre
Universities spent £192m on bursaries for lower-income students in 2007-8

Many students and their families do not know about bursaries designed to help the less well-off, research suggests.

A survey of students found three-quarters did not realise universities have to give a bursary of at least £300 to anyone on a full maintenance grant.

And one in 10 of those questioned who advise students about university were also unaware of the bursaries.

The watchdog for fair access to university in England says institutions must do more to raise awareness.

The body, known as OFFA (The Office for Fair Access) says the research has helped create new guidance for universities and colleges on how they can help improve awareness and understanding of bursaries.

It wants students to have the information before they apply.

The research, for Offa, by Professor Claire Callender, of Birkbeck, the University of London and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, looked at university bursaries and scholarships in England, through interviews with students, parents, higher education advisers and universities.

Effect on grants

Researchers found the majority of students (58%) who had looked at university information on bursaries thought there was insufficient information on when they would receive a bursary while 44% thought there was too little on how to apply for a bursary.