HEA figures: Sharp economic divide in accessing college education
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There are more than twice as many students from affluent areas going to college as those from ‘disadvantaged’ areas according to new figures published today which highlight the continuing sharp income divide in higher education.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) data highlights the disparity between students' socio-economic circumstances and their college courses and also shows children from wealthier postcodes are still more likely to study courses that lead to higher earnings.
There are ‘low-income’ areas in Cork city, Limerick city, Kerry, and Waterford with little or no students enrolled in higher education, though the statistics do not take into account further education courses, apprenticeships, or the jobs market.
Medicine, finance, engineering, and business courses all have the highest proportion of students attending from wealthier areas. Less than one in 10 studying these courses come from disadvantaged areas. Just 4% of students studying medicine are from a poorer area.
Childcare, social work, and sports courses all see the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged areas.
While this is the second year in a row the HEA has collected and compiled this level of enrolment data, this is the first year data relating to every publicly funded institution has been published. Last year, Trinity College Dublin was not included in the study.
Based on enrolment data from the 2018 academic year, the vast majority (94%) of the student population is included in the statistics.
Key findings include:
- - Institutes of technology tend to serve a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged areas.
- - Trinity College Dublin has the most affluent student population, with 5% of its students from disadvantaged areas.
- - In Munster, UCC has the most affluent student population, with 6% of its students from disadvantaged areas.
- - Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), IT Tralee, and Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) are among the colleges that have the highest proportions of students from disadvantaged areas.
- - Nationwide, the average household income of students, based on where they are from, in higher education is €49,603. This ranges from €35,853 in Letterkenny IT to €56,822 in IADT Dún Laoghaire.
The HEA said the figures raise important questions around the development of access policies and financial assistance for students. However, it has cautioned against directly comparing institutions.
“Each higher education institution serves a unique region and offers its own range of programmes with varying levels of student demands,” said Caitríona Ryan, head of access policy at the HEA. She said all institutions have access infrastructures in place for access target groups such as socio-economically disadvantaged students, those from the Travelling community, those with disabilities, and first-time mature students.
Alan Wall, HEA CEO, said the higher education student population doesn't reflect the diversity found in the rest of the population in Ireland, adding this data will help policymakers to develop targeted approaches to achieving equity of access.
The Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) welcomed the new figures. Its CEO Joseph Ryan said: "It is clear from this data that the institutes of technology are already leaders in driving access to higher education to students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds."
He called for recognition and invest in the technological higher education institutions as "drivers in eliminating economic disadvantage as a barrier to entry to higher education".
Higher and Further Education Minister Simon Harris said third level education should be accessible to everyone.
“In order to achieve that aim, we must ensure that our policies strengthen the participation of students in higher education, and to do that, we need accurate data and evidence.”
The development of a new National Access Plan for higher education is to begin in 2021, including new participation targets. This data will be used to better tailor core funding to institutions, according to the HEA.