The vice-chancellors of four UK universities have written to ministers to urge the Westminster government to expand access to childcare grants to postgraduate students.
It is part of an ongoing campaign by the GW4 Alliance – the universities of Bath, Bristol and Exeter, and Cardiff University – to close a gap in provision for postgraduate students.
Those pursuing master’s and PhDs degrees are ineligible for childcare grants, which are in place for full-time undergraduates, and are also ineligible for childcare benefits, unless they are in substantial paid employment in addition to their studies.
The GW4 Alliance wants the current grant to be extended to postgraduate students, to help ensure that those with children, and those from socio-economically deprived backgrounds, are not disincentivised from pursuing higher qualifications.
