Tuition fee aid for low income families 'worrying'

Financial support for university tuition fees for Isle of Man students is putting lower income households at a disadvantage, a report has found.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published its review into the government's Student Awards Scheme.

It said while the grants had been increased in line with inflation, the income levels to qualify for the full funding had not.

The report said it was "worrying to note" that for a student to receive a full maintenance grant, parents or other contributors "must be earning less than the minimum wage".

That was making higher education "unaffordable" for lower income households, it said.

The report also found that over time the proportion of students from lower income households who were eligible for a full grant "has been reducing".

The PAC made 13 recommendations, which are due to be debated in Tynwald later this month.

The lower end of the grant's income threshold is currently £21,547, a figure the PAC recommended be "uplifted to at least £30,388", with the thresholds adjusted each year in line with inflation.

It has also called for a review into the awards scheme to make sure its policies were aligned with the "educational aims in the Island Plan".

It noted disparities with support available for students studying on the island, who received £2,700 less than those travelling to study away from home.

"The differential appears to be greater than the likely cost of travel," the report said, adding that there were no incentives to study locally.

It called for the education department to review the support provided to put it on an equal footing, with the exception of travel costs, in the future.

Eligibility criteria for support is based on residency, academic achievement and household income.

While currently a person must have 80 UCAS points to qualify, the PAC said alternative options should be considered.

It suggested that including other qualifications at the same level would help to address skills shortages on the island.

Among other recommendations, the PAC called for higher levels of financial support for those with a disability, and a Tynwald review into how incentives could address an island skills gap.

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