Celebrating Lifelong Learning

No matter what age you are, or what stage of life,?embarking on a journey through?education,?training?or an apprenticeship?has?the potential to transform?your life.?

As Lifelong Learning Week - a celebration of adult learners -?draws to a close,?UCAS has delved into the data?and insights?looking at the?25 and?over age?cohort?in higher education?to understand the paths these students follow and their motivations, which in many instances are very different to their 18-year-old counterparts.??

In?the?2020?cycle,?there were?99,840?students aged 25 and over who applied to higher education in the UK and?70,760?were accepted. This is a?47%?increase from 2012 when?48,190?students aged 25 and?over gained a university of college place.?UCAS analysis from the 2017 cycle showed adult learning in?full-time?higher education?in decline, so these latest trends?showing an increase?should be welcomed, although?HESA?data shows?continued challenges?in the part-time market.?

In 2020,?students aged 25 and?over?represented?14% of all applicants and 12% of acceptances, with?two-thirds?of?applicants?being?women.?The admissions experience of these students will commonly be different,?with?universities and colleges particularly interested in the?skills these students have gathered during their?careers, with many having policies to accredit and recognise?such experiences.?Equally, the?qualifications these students present may be different, with the Access to HE Diploma?offering?a well-trodden route into higher education.?Because of this, it’s important that those supporting these students?are aware of the nuances of their journey.?

In a survey of 6,000 recent applicants, differences in motivations between school and college leavers and mature students were clear to see, with career ambitions and upskilling a prominent feature for mature students. Placed applicants were asked their reasons for choosing?their?course and 74% of those 25 and over said they chose their subject because it would give them good career prospects after graduation, compared to 66% of 18-year-olds. Meanwhile, 56% of those 25 and over said that they needed to study that course to pursue a specific career, compared to 37% of 18-year-olds.??

Economic factors play a large role in adults returning to the classroom on multiple fronts. Firstly, the health of the economy directly impacts on the number of adult applicants, with mature students more likely to apply during a period of economic downturn. Secondly, the courses they apply to tend to be more ‘recession proof’, with those 25 and?over?well-represented in subjects allied to medicine (23,240 accepted students in 2020), social studies (8,070) and education (5,140).??

This is apparent in the so-called “Whitty effect” of those inspired by the NHS during the Covid pandemic. As revealed in UCAS’?Covid Cohort?report last December, the number of those 25-plus accepted on to nursing courses has increased dramatically from 9,525 in 2012 to 17,245 in 2020 - an increase of 81%. Indeed, there was an increase of a third (33%) between 2019 and 2020 alone and 45% of those 25 and over said that they wanted to study a subject which would let them help others, compared to 17% of 18-year-olds.?

Perhaps most interesting is the increase in the number of students 25 and over applying from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Although the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) for each of the four nations are distinct measures, the combination of the four can show us some overarching trends. Analyses of these data show that the percentage of Quintile 1 students - the most disadvantaged - aged 25 and over has increased by 61% between 2012 and 2020. This contrasts with those from Quintile 5 - the most advantaged - which rose by 31%. For students of all ages the number of Q1 acceptances increased by 41% in the same period, and 8% for Q5. This marks a huge success in terms of widening participation.?

Looking more closely at the 25 and over cohort, there are some other important trends to highlight. Those declaring a mental health condition has increased significantly. UCAS’?Starting the Conversation?report in June, looking at student mental health, highlighted that across the board, students feel more able to declare their mental health status as part of their application. For those 25 and over, there has been an increase of 160% in declarations between 2012 and 2020. Those stating they have a learning difficulty has also increased by 32% in the same timeframe. Those 25 and over placed at university or college in the UK are more likely to study closer to home – the average distance between home and their placed university or college is 24 minutes, compared to almost an hour for those under 25. It is important that universities and colleges offer the support that is needed to all students and make sure that student support teams can cater for the specific needs of adult learners.??

UCAS is here to support all of those who want to access higher education, training or apprenticeships in the UK with personalised information, advice and guidance to help them understand their choices and make the right decision for them. Specific?resources?are available on ucas.com to help mature students. It is never too late to enter education or training and it is important to celebrate the achievements of the adult learners who overcome hurdles to get to where they want to be in life.??

George Ryan is Policy Advisor, Apprenticeships, Skills and FE at UCAS