National statistics

Student support for higher education in Wales 2022

Published 24 November 2022

Applies to Wales

• Publication for England
• Publication for Northern Ireland

Introduction

This statistics publication presents figures and observations on the student support awarded to applicants and paid to students or their higher education provider. Figures are shown for the nine academic years up to and including 2021/22. Section 7 gives a high-level, early indication of academic year 2022/23 figures, along with any emerging trends of new policy products.

The publication covers applicants and students domiciled in Wales taking a designated higher education (HE) course at a university or further education (FE) college in the UK, as well as EU (outside UK) applicants and students taking a designated course in Wales.

Higher education student support remained relatively constant to previous year at £1.2 billion for academic year 2021/22

Figure 1: Number of students domiciled in Wales and EU (outside UK) receiving higher education support and amount awarded/paid

Despite the amount awarded and paid out in supporting full-time, part-time and postgraduate higher education students remaining at (a rounded) £1.2 billion in academic year 2021/22, there was a small 1.8% decrease. The number of students awarded/paid funding decreased to 83,700 students, down 3.0% from 86,300. Table 2

It is however possible that these decreases may be due to the fact that figures are compared to an outlying year that experienced some significant increases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, since academic year 2013/14, the amount paid/awarded in higher education funding has increased by 75.5% (from £671.6 million) whilst the number of students paid/awarded has increased by 28.9% (from 65,000).

What can you use these statistics for?

These statistics can be used as a reference to the number of students awarded/paid and the amount awarded/paid out by the Students Loans Company for students studying in higher education between academic years 2013/14 and 2021/22, along with an early view of academic year 2022/23.

The data used in this publication is from Student Loans Company’s administrative systems. These systems only hold information on students who have applied for and/or receive funding. Due to this, these statistics cannot be used to analyse trends or to draw conclusions regarding the full UK student population.

Things you need to know

Payments vs. awards

The main aim of this publication is to measure payments to student support recipients funded by Wales over the course of each academic year. This is effectively what is paid regarding Maintenance Loans, Tuition Fee Loans, postgraduate loans and targeted support such as Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).

Awards differ from payments as they refer to the amount which will be paid if the applicant’s attendance is confirmed for the full academic year. As payments refer to the actual amounts received by students, they can be lower if the student is not in attendance for the full academic year, if the applicant does not attend at all, or if they do not draw down the full amount which was awarded (e.g., they drop out mid-year).

There are data reporting limitations regarding separating out grant payments by product; for this reason, the breakdowns of spend allocations of Maintenance Grants and other ‘targeted support’ products e.g., Adult Dependant Grant and Travel Grant etc. are reported as awards.

For all new types of support an early indication of what has been paid/awarded two months into the latest academic year (in this publication, 2022/23) is provided in section 7 of the tables. The number of payments/awards made will change markedly between this point and the end of the academic year as current students will receive further payments and additional students apply for student support.

Executive summary - 2021/22 full year and 2022/23 early in year

For more detail, please click the individual links.

• Higher education student support remained relatively constant to previous year at £1.2 billion for academic year 2021/22

• 1.4% decrease in the number of Maintenance Loans paid out to full-time students for academic year 2021/22

• 8.4% increase in Maintenance Loans paid to part-time students in academic year 2021/22

• Mirroring the trend in Maintenance Loan borrower numbers, small reduction noted in the number of students awarded full-time Welsh Government Learning Grant

• Continued increase in part-time Welsh Government Learning Grant take-up

• Tuition Fee Loans reach 99% of the full-time tuition fee support package as the remaining eligible Tuition Fee Grant students conclude their studies

• Small increase in overall average full-time Tuition Fee Loan paid

• Increase in the number of Tuition Fee Loans paid on behalf of part-time students slows following substantial pandemic-related increase in the 2020/21

• An outlier pandemic-related increase in 2020/21 led to a decrease in Postgraduate Master’s Loan take-up in 2021/22

• In line with master’s loans, Postgraduate Master’s Grants take-up has reduced compared to significant outlying increase in 2020/21

• Continued increase in take-up of Postgraduate Doctoral Loans in 2021/22

• Significant reduction in amount paid out in Disabled Student Allowance ‘Travel’ claims in academic year 2020/21, but provisional figures for 2021/22 show spend has returned to pre-pandemic levels

• By end-October 2022, a total of 71,800 undergraduate and postgraduate students have been paid/awarded a total of £328.7 million for AY 2022/23

• Early look at the second academic year of new policy indicates continuing decline in number of EU (outside UK) students paid for academic year 2022/23

• Early view of academic year 2022/23 indicates a reduction in both ‘new’ and ‘returning’ students

Undergraduate Maintenance Loans

An undergraduate Maintenance Loan is funding to help with day-to-day costs, such as rent or food, whilst studying. These loans are available to those studying an eligible undergraduate, initial teacher training or postgraduate certificate of education course, at an eligible higher education provider on a full or part-time basis. The amount awarded is dependent on household residual income.

1.4% decrease in the number of Maintenance Loans paid out to full-time students for academic year 2021/22

Figure 2: Number of students domiciled in Wales receiving full-time Maintenance Loans and amount paid

The number of students in receipt of a Maintenance Loan decreased by 800 (- 1.4%) in comparison to academic year 2020/21, from 57,400 to 56,600. Table 3A(i)

In contrast, the total amount paid out in Maintenance Loans increased by 10.3%, from £293.4 million to £323.7 million.

This is as a result of an increase of 11.9% in the average loan paid in 2021/22, to £5,720. This can be attributed to the increase in the maximum maintenance loan available in comparison to academic year 2020/21.

Figure 3: Percentage of full-time total maintenance package for students domiciled in Wales by product

Figure 3 indicates Maintenance Loan payments and Welsh Government Learning Grant (WGLG) awards as a percentage of the full maintenance package paid/awarded to full-time students.

The % attributed to Maintenance Loans peaked in 2017/18 at 68.2%, before reducing year-on-year to 56.0% in 2020/21. In academic year 2021/22 the % attributed to loans increased to 59.9%.

Increases following 2017/18 can be attributed to the Welsh student funding review, which stated that from academic year 2018/19 a minimum amount of £1,000 of WGLG was awarded to every new full-time student, regardless of their household residual income. However, the annual increase in maximum loans available vs. no increase in the maximum WGLG available has now caused the % attributed to grants to reduce.

For more information, please refer to Welsh Government Learning Grant.

8.4% increase in Maintenance Loans paid to part-time students in academic year 2021/22

Figure 4: Number of students domiciled in Wales receiving part-time Maintenance Loans and amount paid

Maintenance Loans for part-time higher education students were introduced for new students domiciled in Wales in academic year 2018/19.

Combined with the part-time Welsh Government Learning Grant, this formed the 2021/22 maintenance package for Welsh part-time students - up to a maximum of £5,730.

In academic year 2021/22, 9,200 part-time students were in receipt of a Maintenance Loan. Table 5A

This was an 8.4% (+ 700) increase from the 8,500 paid in 2020/21. This is almost 200% higher than in the first year of availability.

The total amount paid out increased by 19.8% from £12.2 million in 2020/21, to £14.7 million in academic year 2021/22. In comparison to the first year of availability, this is an additional £10.2 million (+ 228.4%).

Welsh Government Learning Grant

The Welsh Government Learning Grant (WGLG) is funding to help with day-to-day costs, such as rent or food, whilst studying. WGLG’s are available to both full-time and part-time higher education students studying at an eligible higher education provider and studying an eligible undergraduate, initial teacher training or postgraduate certificate of education. The amount awarded is dependent on household residual income and is a non-repayable grant. Students can take both WGLG and a Maintenance Loan as a combined maintenance package to cover living expenses.

Mirroring the trend in Maintenance Loan borrower numbers, small reduction noted in the number of students awarded full-time Welsh Government Learning Grant

Figure 5: Number of students domiciled in Wales receiving full-time Welsh Government Learning Grant and amount awarded

As a result of the Diamond review of Welsh student funding, from academic year 2018/19, a minimum amount of £1,000 in Welsh Government Learning Grant (WGLG) was awarded to every new full-time student, regardless of their household residual income.

This change in policy caused a significant increase in take-up in its first year (+ 21.2%) with 40,800 grants awarded to full-time students. Increases continued for the next two academic years (+ 15.4% and + 16.5% respectively), to 54,900. In academic year 2021/22, the number of grants awarded decreased for the first time, to 53,200 (- 3.0%). Table 4A

In the first year of the Diamond review, the total awarded increased by 29.7% to £165.9 million, increasing further to reach £230.4 million by 2020/21. In academic year 2021/22, this decreased by 5.8% to £217.1 million in comparison to 2020/21 – also for the first time.

Figure 6: Amount paid in Welsh Government Learning Grant in academic year 2021/22 by level of grant support

Prior to the review, in academic year 2017/18 the ‘nil’ (eligible but not entitled) category of students made up more than one third of the full-time WGLG population. The ‘minimum’ category (receiving £1,000) in 2021/22 made up 35% of the population. This bracket amounted to a total of £18.5 million, 8.6% of the amount awarded to post 2018/19 cohort students (new students in 2018/19 onwards) in 2021/22 and 8.5% of all students awarded (all cohorts).

When comparing figures to pre-Diamond review levels, it is evident that numbers of full-time awards have increased by 58.0% and the amount awarded by 69.7%.

More information on the Diamond Review can be found on gov.uk.

Continued increase in part-time Welsh Government Learning Grant take-up

Figure 7: Number of students domiciled in Wales receiving part-time Welsh Government Learning Grant and amount paid

Academic year 2021/22 was the fourth year in which Welsh Government Learning Grants (WGLG) were available to new part-time higher education students domiciled in Wales.

The maximum amount a student could be awarded in 2021/22 was £4,500. This, combined with the part-time Maintenance Loan formed a maximum maintenance support offering of £5,730.

As with the full-time Welsh Government Learning Grant, the amount awarded is dependent on household residual income and course intensity.

In the first year of the part-time WGLG (academic year 2018/19) 4,500 students were awarded the grant, in the sum of £10.0 million. By academic year 2021/22, numbers had increased to 12,200 students and the total awarded to £29.7 million. Table 5B

In comparison to the previous academic year, an additional 800 part-time students were awarded grants in academic year 2021/22 and a further £1.4 million awarded.

Despite increasing year-on-year, these increases have however slowed, from an 81.8% increase in take-up in 2019/20 to + 6.9% in 2021/22 and a 91.6% increase in the amount awarded in 2019/20 to a 5.1% in 2021/22. These levels of increase are typical within the first three years of a new student support product’s existence.

Undergraduate Tuition Fee Loans

An undergraduate Tuition Fee Loan covers the cost of the tuition fees charged by the university or college. These loans are available to those studying an eligible undergraduate, initial teacher training or Postgraduate Certificate of Education course, at an eligible higher education provider on a full or part-time basis. Tuition Fee Loans are not dependent on household residual income.

Tuition Fee Loans reach 99% of the full-time tuition fee support package as the remaining eligible Tuition Fee Grant students conclude their studies

Figure 8: Number of Tuition Fee Loans paid on behalf of full-time Wales and EU (outside UK) domiciled students and amount paid

In academic year 2021/22 the total amount paid out on behalf of full-time undergraduates in the form of Tuition Fee Loans decreased slightly, from £470.8 million in 2020/21 to £464.9 million (- 1.2%). Similarly, the number of loans paid decreased by 3.7% from 57,700 to 55,500. Table 3B(i)

The average full-time Tuition Fee Loan paid on behalf of a Wales domiciled student increased from £8,180 to £8,380 (+ 2.4%) in academic year 2021/22. This is as a result of a larger proportion of the student population being from the 2018 cohort, who are not eligible for Tuition Fee Grants.

Figure 9: Amount paid in full-time tuition fee support split by Tuition Fee Loan and Tuition Fee Grant

Although the overall sum paid in tuition fee support for full-time courses remains constant, this is now made up of a far higher percentage of loans than grants in comparison to previous academic years.

Figure 9 indicates that prior to the Diamond Review in academic year 2017/18, Tuition Fee Loans made up just 45% of the total tuition fee package (55% attributed to grants). By 2021/22, this has increased to 99% loans as new students in the final year of the availability of the grant, on a four-year or less study period would have now completed their studies. Table 4D

Small increase in overall average full-time Tuition Fee Loan paid

Figure 10: Average full-time Tuition Fee Loans funded by Student Finance Wales by country of study (post 2018/19 entry cohort funding)

The average amount paid in full-time undergraduate Tuition Fee Loans differs dependent on the country and type of provider that the student choses to study in. This is due to differing amounts that each country/provider type in the UK charge for tuition fees.

Wales-domiciled students studying in Wales in academic year 2021/22 continue to have the lowest average loan amount (of £8,290). Table 3C(i)

Figures for academic year 2021/22 indicate that the highest average can be attributed to Wales-domiciled students studying in England (of £8,640).

The average amounts across all UK countries of study increased from £8,160 to £8,370 in academic year 2021/22 (+ 2.6%). This is a much smaller increase in comparison to 2020/21, when the average increased by 17.0%.

The growing proportion of borrowers who are entitled to post-2018 funding levels will likely lessen the increases each year.

Increase in the number of Tuition Fee Loans paid on behalf of part-time students slows following substantial pandemic-related increase in the 2020/21

Figure 11: Number of Tuition Fee Loans paid on behalf of part-time Wales and EU (outside UK) domiciled students and amount paid

The number of students accessing part-time Tuition Fee Loans increased from 10,800 to 11,200 (+ 3.3%) in academic year 2021/22. Table 5A

This follows a significant increase of + 32.0% in academic year 2020/21 when an additional 2,600 entrants enrolled in Open University courses, potentially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting some employment sectors; coupled with the discontinuation of part-time Tuition Fee Grants for new students.

The total amount paid out totalled £14.4 million in 2021/22, up 7.3% on the £13.4 million paid out in the previous academic year.

Postgraduate loans & grants

A Postgraduate Master’s or Doctoral Loan is funding to help with course and living costs whilst studying an eligible postgraduate level course. They are paid directly to the student and are not based on their income or the residual income of their household. Students studying either a Postgraduate Certificate of Education or an initial teacher training course are not eligible for postgraduate funding, they can alternatively apply for undergraduate finance. From academic year 2019/20, Postgraduate Master’s students are also entitled to a means-tested grant.

An outlier pandemic-related increase in 2020/21 led to a decrease in Postgraduate Master’s Loan take-up in 2021/22

Figure 12: Number of students domiciled in Wales and EU (outside UK) receiving Postgraduate Master’s loans

Academic year 2021/22 saw a 14.1% decrease in the number of students taking out a Postgraduate Master’s Loan in comparison to the previous year (from 8,000 to 6,800). This contrasts the 28.4% increase noted in 2020/21. Table 6A(i)

The amount paid out to postgraduate master’s students similarly decreased in comparison to 2020/21, from £74.5 million to £64.7 million (- 13.2%), also opposing the trend reported in the previous year when the amount paid out increased by + 36.4%.

The significant increases in the previous year could have been as a result of perceived reduced employment opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, either encouraging undergraduates to continue to postgraduate level or non-students to return to study. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect a reduction in comparison to this outlying year.

When omitting the outlying academic year of 2020/21, the number of loans paid increased by 10.4% and the amount paid by 18.4%. These are more in line with increases noted when comparing to 2019/20.

The average Postgraduate Master’s Loan paid to a Welsh-domiciled student increased by just 1.5% (to £9,430) whereas the average paid to an EU (outside UK)-domiciled student decreased by 5.3% to £10,690. Table 2

In line with master’s loans, Postgraduate Master’s Grant take-up has reduced compared to significant outlying increase in 2020/21

From 1 August 2019, students ordinarily resident in Wales and those from the EU (outside UK) studying at a Welsh institution have been entitled to a combination of loan and grant as a contribution to costs, for completing a postgraduate master’s degree course. A maximum means-tested contribution to costs grant of £6,885 was made available to eligible postgraduate master’s students. As with the Welsh Government Learning Grant for undergraduate students, there is a £1,000 non-means-tested contribution to costs grant available to all eligible students.

Figure 13: Number of students domiciled in Wales and EU (outside UK) receiving Postgraduate Master’s Grant and amount awarded

In the grant’s first year, 5,300 postgraduate master’s students were awarded. In academic year 2020/21, numbers reached 8,200. This was a considerable increase of 53.2%. Table 6D

As noted within the earlier Postgraduate Master’s Loan section, this outlying increase could be attributed to COVID-19 pandemic effecting factors. In academic year 2021/22 7,200 grants were awarded, 11.4% less than the 8,200 in 2020/21.

A total of £18.8 million was awarded in academic year 2019/20. This increased to £26.7 million in the grant’s second year (2020/21) a considerable increase of 42.1%. In 2021/22, £22.0 million was awarded in Postgraduate Master’s Grants, 17.8% less than in 2020/21.

The average grant awarded to a Welsh-domiciled student decreased by 7.1% (from £3,260 to £3,030) and the average awarded to an EU (outside UK)-domiciled student decreased by 5.5% (from £3,480 to £3,290). Table 2

Continued increase in take-up of Postgraduate Doctoral Loans in 2021/22

Figure 14: Number of students domiciled in Wales and

In academic year 2018/19, Postgraduate Doctoral Loans were made available to both Wales and EU (outside EU)-domiciled students who commenced an eligible doctoral degree.

Students must be undertaking a full Level 8 doctoral course which must last between three and eight academic years. These loans are paid directly to the student and can be used for both tuition and/or maintenance costs.

Eligible students apply for the loan amount they will require for the entire duration of their course (up to a maximum of £27,265 in academic year 2021/22 regulations) and also provide an estimate of the number of years in which they will study (this can change at any time). Each academic year’s instalment is capped at a maximum rate (£10,609 for 2021/22 applicants).

The number of doctoral students in receipt of Postgraduate Doctoral Loans increased to 620 in academic year 2021/22. This is a 19.8% increase on the 520 in academic year 2020/21. Table 6B

For academic year 2021/2 a total of £3.8 million was paid out to doctoral students to support their tuition and/or maintenance costs. This is also a 19.8% increase on the previous year.

Disabled Students’ Allowance

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is an additional part of the student finance package and helps pay for extra costs a student might incur in higher education as a direct result of their disability. This includes long-term health conditions, mental health difficulties, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dyspraxia etc. The allowance is non repayable and does not depend on household income. The individual’s condition must meet the definition of a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Generally, Disabled Students’ Allowance is paid direct to the providers of equipment and services covered by the allowance although students may receive some funding paid directly to them, depending on their circumstances.

The vast majority of DSA is paid to suppliers once the Student Loans Company receive the invoices for equipment or services. Invoices continue to be received well after the end of the academic year which is why we quote figures a year later.

Significant reduction in amount paid out in Disabled Student Allowance ‘Travel’ claims in academic year 2020/21, but provisional figures for 2021/22 show spend has returned to pre-pandemic levels

Figure 15: Amount of DSA paid on behalf of full-time students by category and academic year

The total number of claimants receiving full-time Disabled Students’ Allowance for the 2020/21 academic year increased by 2.4% to 3,700, in comparison to the previous academic year. The amount paid out increased by 2.9% (to £8.3 million). Table 4B

Despite the overall increase in the total amount paid out for academic year 2020/21, in comparison to 2019/20 the number of those in receipt of ‘Travel’ DSA has reduced by 50.5% (to 50). The amount paid out for these claims has reduced by 54.4% (to £0.1 million).

This is likely due to the fact that much higher education provision in academic year 2020/21 took place remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning that journeys to and from providers would have been significantly reduced.

As at 31 August 2022, a total of £6.6 million has been paid for academic year 2021/22 for full-time students. This is 12.3% lower than the £7.5 million paid by the same point for 2020/21. This is driven by an 8.2% decrease in the provisional number of students paid DSA. This reduction could be attributed to several factors including the later opening of the 2021/22 student finance application window, plus delays in students being able to obtain medical evidence due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the medical profession. Consequently, timing could be a factor, and not a genuine decrease. Should this be the case, the finalised figure for 2021/22 (to be released in our November 2023 publication) may be more in line with previous years.

This provisional position for 2021/22 shows that ‘Travel’ claim payments are 196.4% higher than the same point for 2020/21 (+ £0.1 million). This is likely a result of the notably reduced pandemic-related disruption at higher education providers in 2021/22 compared to in the previous year. This provisional position is more in line with that for academic years 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Early in year overview – academic year 2022/23

Table 7C(i) shows an early view of academic year 2022/23 at effective date 31 October 2022. This would be approximately two months into a typical academic year.

These figures will be near-finalised in Table 2 of the publication due to be released in November 2023.

By end-October 2022, a total of 71,800 undergraduate and postgraduate students have been paid/awarded a total of £328.7 million for AY 2022/23

Figure 16. Early in year - number of students awarded/paid and amount awarded/paid

In comparison to the same point in the 2021/22 academic year, the number of students awarded /paid student finance has reduced by 3.6% and the amount paid/awarded has decreased by 2.8%.

At the effective date used for this data, both academic year 2020/21 and 2021/22 could be considered outlying years; 2020/21 due to the early payment of the second instalment of undergraduate tuition fees payments made to higher education (HE) providers, and 2021/22 due to the resulting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Therefore, trends in these years may be less representative than earlier years.

As at 31 October 2022, a total of £305.4 million had been paid/awarded to 66,300 undergraduate students for the 2022/23 academic year. The number of those paid/awarded is 2.5% below the end-October position in academic year 2021/22 (- 1,700) and the amount paid/awarded is 1.6% less (- £4.8 million).

Whilst the number of full-time students paid/awarded reduced by 4.3% to 56,300, part-time students increased by 9.2%, to 9,900.

This early look at the 2022/23 academic year indicates a total of £23.3 million has been paid to 5,600 postgraduate students so far. In comparison to the same point in 2021/22, this is a 14.7% (-1,000) decrease in the number of postgraduates paid and a 16.3% (- £4.5 million) decrease in the amount paid out.

Early look at the second academic year of new policy indicates continuing decline in number of EU (outside UK) students paid for academic year 2022/23

Figure 17. Early in year - number of paid/awarded students domiciled in EU (outside UK) and amount awarded/paid

As at end-October 2022, 900 EU (outside UK) students have been paid either undergraduate or postgraduate funding. This is 35.8% less than the 1,400 students paid at the same point in academic year 2021/22.

The total amount paid out so far has reached £2.1 million for the 2022/23 academic year. This is 37.1% less than the £3.3 million paid out at the same point for 2021/22.

It should be noted that new EU (outside UK) domiciled students in academic year 2021/22 were no longer eligible for tuition fee funding. Therefore, figures for academic year 2021/22 and 2022/23 will only include continuing students from earlier academic years.

Early view of academic year 2022/23 indicates a reduction in both ‘new’ and ‘returning’ students

Figure 18: Early in year - total number of ‘new’ and ‘returning’ students awarded/paid by academic year

‘Returning’ students are defined as any student who has received funding from Student Finance Wales within the same mode of study (i.e., full-time, part-time, postgraduate) in the immediately preceding academic year. Any student who has changed study modes between academic years, or who were not in study/not funded in the preceding academic year would be included as a ‘new’ student.

As shown in Table 7C(ii), as at 31 October 2022, the number of ‘returning’ students awarded/paid has decreased by 2.5%, following a 1.6% increase in the previous year.

‘New’ students awarded/paid has decreased by 5.4%, in line with the 5.2% decrease in the previous academic year.

The number of ‘new’ undergraduate students awarded/paid for 2022/23 decreased by 2.6% in comparison to the same point in 2021/22, and ‘returning’ decreased by 2.4%. ‘New’ postgraduates decreased by a significant 18.5% and ‘returning’ decreased by 3.5%.

Figure 19: Early in year - % change in ‘new’ students to prior year by student support type

Figure 19 shows the % movement of ‘new’ students awarded/paid by student support type.

The most significant % change in movement at this stage of the 2022/23 academic year can be identified within ‘new’ Wales-domiciled postgraduates, which are 18% lower than at the same point in 2021/22.

In contrast, Wales-domiciled ‘new’ part-time undergraduates are 12% higher in 2022/23.

For the first time, the number of awarded/paid ‘new’ full-time undergraduates is lower than in the previous year, by 5%.

Additional Information

Available student financial support

Details on student support available in academic year 2021/22 and 2022/23 can be found here.

Factors affecting early in year figures academic year 2020/21

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education and devolved administrations of Wales and Northern Ireland requested that the Student Loans Company revised the schedule of undergraduate tuition fee payments to higher education providers for the 2020/21 academic year. This revision enabled providers to access the second instalment of tuition fee payments early (two paid in October 2020, instead of first paid October 2020 and second in February 2021), while ensuring that students were not impacted by the change. The normal schedule resumed in academic year 2021/22.

These early in year figures for academic year 2020/21 may also have been affected by the Ofqual standardisation of grades, allowing students whose exams were cancelled in the summer of 2020 to receive calculated grades enabling them to progress to further study. For more information please refer to gov.uk.

Definitions

For definitions of terms used in our publication, please refer to our Definitions page.

Data Sources

This publication uses data from Student Loans Company (SLC) administrative systems. For details of the administrative data sources used in our publications please refer to our Statement of Administrative Sources.

Data Quality

Student Loans Company has published the quality guidelines that it follows. As per those guidelines a quality plan is produced for each publication. The quality plan stipulates two stages of quality assurance. Data is extracted from the administrative systems then reviewed using a standard quality assurance checklist. The statistical tables created using that data are quality assured using the statistical quality guidelines. Refer to our Quality Guidelines for further information.

Related Statistics Publications

Student Loans Company publish statistics on Higher Education Funding for England and Northern Ireland as part of the same series this publication belongs to. These are published at the same time as part of the series Student Support for Higher Education.

In December 2020, owing to the significant public interest, SLC took the decision to publish data on the withdrawal notifications it receives from higher education providers (HEPs) in order to contribute towards an understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic may be impacting students. Due to ongoing interest, SLC continues to publish this series. These publications are housed within our Other Statistics section of gov.uk.

Student Loans Company also publish statistics on the repayment of student loans for higher education in the series ‘Student Loans in Wales’. The latest release of this series, covering tax year 2021-22 was published added on 16 June 2022.

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland publish details of higher education funding in Scotland in their publication ‘Higher Education Student Support in Scotland’. The latest release of this series was published in August 2022 covering academic session 2020/21.

National Statistics

This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

This publication series (publications for England, Wales & Northern Ireland) was awarded National Statistics status in October 2011 following a full assessment against their Code of Practice.

Since the assessments by the Office for Statistics Regulation we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics and have made several improvements. For more information, please refer to our National Statistics page.

Contact details

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• Press Office: press_office@slc.co.uk
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• Online: SLC Statistics.

SLC SP06/2022