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Photo: University of St. Andrews
New figures show that almost 1,800 people from a care experienced background began an undergraduate higher education course at a Scottish college or university in 2022-23.
The finding comes in the latest Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Report on Widening Access and represents progress towards SFC’s ambition to ensure care experienced students are fairly represented at college and university. According to today’s report, both the number of care experienced students and their percentage of the total higher education student intake have increased every year since 2013-14.
The report also shows that 16.3% of Scots starting a full-time degree course at university came from the country’s 20% most deprived (SIMD20) areas. This is slightly down from the 2021-22 figure of 16.5%.
Looking more widely at tertiary education overall, 18.7% of entrants to undergraduate higher education courses were from Scotland’s most deprived areas representing a 0.4% decrease on the previous year.
Martin Boyle, SFC’s Interim Chief Executive, said:
“Attracting more young people from a care experienced background to college and university is an important part of our work towards fairer access and I’m pleased to see progress reflected in today’s report.
“Elsewhere, we’re seeing a small reduction in the proportion of SIMD20 students starting higher education courses. This is an indication of the challenges we face but does not diminish our commitment to creating a more equal society and growing the economy by widening access to tertiary education.”
The full Report on Widening Access 2022-23 is now available along with supporting materials.
An SFC Insight Briefing (published 15 October 2024) takes a closer look at progress towards the Commission on Widening Access 2030 target.
