A drop in university applications from teenagers in the most deprived areas should serve “as a wake-up call”, according to Scotland’s widening access commissioner.

Professor Peter Scott is calling for universities to “redouble” their outreach activity - which often involves working with schools - in a bid to address the fall.

The latest Ucas figures published last month showed an overall 2 per cent increase in applicants from the 20 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland - known as SIMD20 - compared with the year before.

However, they also showed a 4 per cent decline in 18-year-old applicants from these areas, said Professor Scott, who will be updating the Scottish parliament’s education committee on his work tomorrow. 

University applications decline

Professor Scott said in written evidence to the committee that the figures “may serve as a wake-up call to those who believe that progress towards meeting fair access targets can be taken for granted”.

He added: “Of course, this slight decline should not prevent a continuing increase in the proportion of SIMD20 students admitted - and it is important to remember that a third of entrants to higher education in Scotland are not dealt with through Ucas.

“However, it does highlight the need to redouble outreach activities to encourage more young SIMD20 applicants.”

Professor Scott also said that one of the “most significant reservations” about increasing the number of students from deprived areas - that other students will be displaced - “may be exaggerated”.

The Scottish government wants one-fifth of students entering university by 2030 to be from the 20 per cent most deprived communities.

However, because numbers are tightly capped, there is a fear that an increase in students from one part of society will simply replace those from another.

Professor Scott said: “My impression is that these fears, although completely genuine, may be exaggerated.”

‘Reasonably secure’ target

The Scottish government’s 2030 target that students from poorer areas should take up their share of places at university - which he says is among the most ambitious in the world - “looks reasonably secure”, he said.

He added: “There may be greater difficulty in meeting that target in the case of universities (ie, without the contribution made by colleges) and also meeting the 10 per cent target for every individual institution by 2021.

“Of course, many universities already exceed the 10 per cent target, but a few high-demand universities may struggle.”

Figures for the 2015-16 academic year show 13.6 per cent of entrants to full-time first degree courses at a Scottish university were from the 20 per cent most deprived areas, ranging from 4.5 per cent at the University of St Andrews to 25.4 per cent at the University of the West of Scotland.

Professor Scott identified two major challenges that lie ahead: ensuring all colleges and universities play their part when it comes to widening access - and ensuring that students have an equal chance of succeeding “in terms of continuation rates, in proportion with ‘good’ degrees and access to ‘graduate’ jobs”.

During the next 12 months, the commissioner hopes to engage more with schools and to say more about their role in ensuring university access is more equitable.

He believes there is scope to improve the transition between school and university and that there should be “greater opportunities” for S6 pupils with Advanced Highers to go straight into the second year of university. 

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