Grant changes deter young

MORE than half of the young people thinking of applying to university say scrapping the maintenance grant will make them more likely to stay away, according to a survey by Wolverhampton University.

While 38 per cent of those who responded said tuition fees would make them less likely to study, 53 per cent said replacing the grant with a loan would cause them to rethink.

The changes as a whole are forcing 44 per cent to reassess their study plans.

But the research, carried out by university marketing research officer Rosemary Sampson, found students were badly informed about what exactly the changes were.

Asked what they expected to pay for a year's fees, 32 per cent of the 158 respondents failed to answer.

Parents are expected to pay towards tuition fees by more than 38 per cent of respondents and towards the cost of living by 34 per cent. More than 40 per cent say they would be more likely to live at home following the changes.

But most students who believe their parents will pay also expect to contribute themselves, either through taking out a student loan or finding a job, or both.

The study involved research during September and November 1997, focusing on local school and college students and on those making inquiries to the university from elsewhere. Young people questioned called for realistic estimates of student expenditure, clear and concise information about the new financial arrangements and profiles of students as case studies.