The Government is backing new plans for University students without Maths and English GCSEs, or those with two Es at A-level, to not be allowed access to their student loan. This comes with the purpose to restrict entry on to courses that the Government thinks do not offer good enough graduate jobs.
With a focus on GCSEs, when it comes to exams a third of students fail their maths and English GCSEs each year. College and Sixth Forms tend to help students with their maths and English GCSEs alongside their A-levels due to the importance of these particular subjects - especially when coming to apply to university.
Over the last few years, university applicants have risen with 320,000 candidates. So far, in 2022 with 28% from poorer, more disadvantaged areas. This is a 10% rise from 2013. Stereotypically, students who are from hindered backgrounds do not perform as well as the other students.
There are students who find themselves in debt after university - paying a minimum of £9,000 (this has been the figure since 2012, when the tuition fee tripled). Ministers say that these loans are paid by tax payers. Eight out of ten graduates do not pay their loan back, meaning that three quarters of debts are paid by tax payers.
Their main argument is that creative course graduates are the majority of those who do not pay back due to the type of jobs they can go into.
So, thinking on the Governments first point, as previously stated, that some courses do not offer good enough graduate jobs, these ministers associating art courses are with people who struggle to do maths and English. It may seem as though the Government is targeting them but there are people who also exceed in maths and English who do these courses - the same goes in every university degree.
Yet there are apparently going to be exemptions for particular students who do not pass these requirements, such as mature students... does this mean that you can cheat your way into university and student loans later in life? This is unsure but this week the Government is bringing out proposals that will, hopefully, clarify any questions prospective students have.