Education Policy Institute Report: post 18 education and funding (May 2019)

Summary

In February 2018, the Prime Minister launched a review into the post-18 education system, led by Philip Augar. The review is the first to examine post-18 education funding in almost a decade, and as well as considering tuition fees, will also consider the funding of wider post-18 qualifications and further education.

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) will, on Thursday 2nd May, publish a new report, Post-18 education and funding: options for the government review.

Six months on from the expected release of the review’s interim findings, this new report examines the evidence on the various policy options for the government. It scrutinises policy proposals on tuition fees, student support, and non-HE funding; it outlines the evidence for each policy option, before setting out recommendations on how the government should proceed.

Key findings include:

• Proposals from the government and opposition parties to reduce or abolish tuition fees, or lower interest rates, would have a regressive impact.

• To help address inequities between higher and further education funding, maintenance loans should be extended to 19-24 year olds pursuing vocational, level 3 qualifications.

• The government should avoid a system in which tuition fees vary by subject or university.

• Imposing a minimum academic standard to access university loans – a ‘UCAS tariff floor’ – should not be introduced without strong evidence that the majority of those denied loans would be better off pursuing other education routes.

A full digital copy of the report can be found here. The report is strictly embargoed until 00.01 Thursday 2nd May 2019.