Minimum entry consultation to be held in the autumn, DfE confirms

The UK government is set to consider whether minimum requirements should be introduced in order to access student loans amid concerns that underqualified students are taking on large amounts of debt.

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced the launch of a new consultation in the autumn which it said would “will look at options for a minimum English language requirement for prospective under-grads to access student finance, to ensure students taking on debt to earn a degree are equipped to succeed in their studies”. 

Currently, only foreign students paying international fees are required to prove their language proficiency in order to enter university and specific language criteria is set by individual institutions. 

There are no national minimum entry standards for domestic students, but ministers are considering changing this. The Guardian has previously reported the requirement will be for applicants to have at least a GCSE in English to qualify.

The announcement follows new research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) that found, while most graduates are financially better off as a result of attending university, the benefits vary depending on subjects studied and prior attainment levels.

Libby Hackett, chief executive of the Russell Group, said she supported the government’s decision “to consult on a new framework for entry standards, to protect student interests and maximise public investment, while maintaining equivalent alternative entry routes for mature students and those from under-represented backgrounds”.

Some critics, including the University of Birmingham’s vice-chancellor Adam Tickell, have previously questioned whether students with lower attainment levels at school, including those with no A-levels, should be able to access student loans, given they may struggle when they arrive at university. 

A recent report from think-tank Policy Exchange also backed the idea of minimum entry standards. 

Others have rejected the controversial proposal, suggesting it would undermine institutional autonomy. 

In response to the IFS report, the government said it plans to take “drastic action to tackle poor-quality degrees and crackdown on the rapid expansion of franchised, and often poor-quality provision”. 

Universities with significant franchise operations are among those with the highest numbers of domestic students without formal qualifications. 

“Going to university and getting a degree is one of the most transformational things a young person can do,” said skills minister Jacqui Smith. 

“But it is not a universal guarantee of success and not all degrees are equal. 

“As well as the variation by subject, too many franchised and poor-quality courses do not offer a good deal to young people – selling the dream then leaving students in the lurch.”

The government is also looking at limiting the growth of courses with poorer student outcomes through the revised Teaching Excellence Framework. 

Smith continued: “We’re making the system work better but my message to those thinking about university: choose carefully. Don’t walk into a degree by default.”

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com