Survey shows prospective students attending fewer open days due to cost-of-living crisis

Prospective students are attending fewer university open days due to rising living costs, according to a new survey by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Nearly two-in-five (39%) prospective applicants in the UK said that they had cut down on the number of open days they attended because of costs, while 5% said that they had not attended any due to the expense.

By restricting their opportunity to explore the different potential environments, they have reduced the options available to them before they even apply

–Joe Richards, Senior UCAS Insight Lead

Those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to report cutting down on open-day attendance, according to the survey, with 42% of this group cutting back compared to 35% from the least disadvantaged areas.

Jo Richards, Senior Insight Lead at UCAS, says “some students are ruling out places earlier” due to the cost of living.

She added: “By restricting their opportunity to explore the different potential environments, they have reduced the options available to them before they even apply.”

The UCAS survey involved 3,812 UK prospective applicants in November last year, to understand the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on students’ decisions about their future.

One focus group participant said that they only visited one open day because they could not afford the trains, while another said that a virtual open day gave them an insight into their subject “but not in terms of the university, the lifestyle, and the area”.

These are difficult times for many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds who may be discouraged from attending university due to financial barriers. This would be a tragic loss of talent to the country and impact social mobility.

–UCAS Spokesperson

In its submission to the cost-of-living inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Students, UCAS said: “Open-day attendance is being affected due to rising living costs. Open days can be a vital source of information and guidance for applicants.”

“We would continue to encourage universities, colleges, and government to consider how we can facilitate access to these.

“These are difficult times for many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds who may be discouraged from attending university due to financial barriers. This would be a tragic loss of talent to the country and impact social mobility.”

The submission from UCAS added that there is evidence that “living costs are having an impact on university or college choice”, and many prospective applicants said they have “lowered” their expectations of student life.

Among the prospective applicants domiciled in the UK who were surveyed, 58% said they were now considering getting a part-time job while at university due to increased costs, 26% said they would consider choosing a university closer to home, and 24% said they would consider living at home.

Many universities are already stepping up efforts to support their students through a variety of programmes and we urge students who are worried about their circumstances to speak to their university.

–Department for Education (DfE) Spokesperson

In a UCAS blog, Richards said: “We have a duty as a sector to make sure that we are putting support and interventions in place to ensure widening participation students are not more greatly affected than their advantaged peers.”

A Universities UK (UUK) spokesperson said: “The latest findings from UCAS highlight that the cost of living is a significant concern for future students.

“Universities have stepped up efforts to alleviate financial pressures on their students, but Ucas’ findings show that more can be done to effectively communicate to prospective students the wide range of practical support they have to offer.

“These are difficult times for many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds who may be discouraged from attending university due to financial barriers. This would be a tragic loss of talent to the country and impact social mobility.

“It’s imperative that government look closely at the maintenance support package as maintenance uplifts, particularly in England, will not cover the real terms cut that students are seeing.”

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: “We recognise students continue to face financial challenges, which is why we are increasing loans and grants for living and other costs for a further year.

“To help students who need further support, we have made an additional £15 million available, increasing our student premium funding to £276 million this academic year. In addition, the Government has announced that it is extending the Energy Price Guarantee for a further three months and many students are also benefiting from the Energy Bills Support Scheme discounts, including the Alternative Funding scheme.

“Many universities are already stepping up efforts to support their students through a variety of programmes and we urge students who are worried about their circumstances to speak to their university.”