A report commissioned by the university watchdog, OFFA (Office for Fair Access) has found that one in ten students in England are failing to claim the bursaries and scholarships that they may be entitled to.

The report concluded that students from low-income families are missing out on vital money because of a shortage of information and a complex system of university finance.

OFFA has conducted two reports since the rise in tuition fees in 2006; in 2007-2008 universities paid a total of £219 million in bursaries and scholarships; this figure fell to just below £192 million in the last academic year.

The majority of this was offered to learners from low-income backgrounds, helping almost 133,000 higher education students to pay for a course that they may not otherwise have afforded.

However, with learners being able to claim a bursary of anywhere between £310 and £3,150, depending on which institution they attend, some experts have been prompted to call for a review of the way in which higher education funding is distributed.

NUS President, Wes Streeting, said:

“Financial support should be based on how much a student needs it, not where they happen to study.”

Although the report did concede that financial information was available from a variety of sources, it also noted that there was no national system in place and that information remained unclear.

Director of OFFA, Sir Martin Harris guaranteed his organisation would be highlighting the issue in the coming months.

He explained:

“We have commissioned research into how institutions can best raise awareness of bursaries and will be publishing guidance on this in May 2009.”

Learners should contact the student finance team at their individual institution to find out more information on how to apply for a higher education bursary or scholarship.

Source: Office for Fair Access (OFFA)