Income gap in university admissions narrows slightly

STUDENTS from rich backgrounds are still twice as likely to go to university than those from the poorest homes.

Only 2.9 per cent more young people from poor backgrounds are going to university than five years ago, according to figures published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

This is despite the government ploughing millions of pounds into widening participation in higher education.

The figures for 18-20-year-olds show that in 2007-8, 21 per cent of the poorest students go to university, compared with 41.2 per cent from the richest backgrounds.

There has been some improvement in closing the gap – it has shrunk by 7 per cent since 2002-3 and 3.3 per cent since 2005-6.

But this is partly the result of a drop in the numbers of richer students going to university – down 4 per cent since 2002-3.

Just 17.3 per cent of the poorest men went on to higher education in 2007-8. This is compared with 37.2 per cent of men from the richest homes – a participation gap of 19.3 per cent.