The government has promised to crack down on “rip-off degrees” in England. It will place a cap on student numbers for courses that deliver “poor outcomes” for students – because they have high drop-out rates or do not lead to well-paying jobs.
The intention of the government intervention is to ensure that students get appropriate value from their courses. It also intends to make sure taxpayers aren’t left to foot the bill when students don’t earn enough to repay all of their student loans.
But capping student numbers on these courses may well penalise students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The courses which face capped numbers are likely to be ones offered by universities that are more accessible to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are more likely to attend less selective universities local to them. But less-selective universities – and the courses they offer – play a significant role in driving social mobility and supporting the local economy.
