Understanding the impact of bursary support an institution approach,Stephanie Lee, Mandy Crow and...
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Transcript of Understanding the impact of bursary support an institution approach,Stephanie Lee, Mandy Crow and...
Understanding the impact of bursary support: An institution approach.
Dr Mandy CrowStudent Recruitment and WP [email protected]
Stephanie Lee, Head of Widening Participation & [email protected]
Context
Table 6a – OFFA expenditure summary (£)
Academic year
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Access expenditure 1,273,080 3,200,000 3,296,000 3,394,880 3,496,726Student success expenditure 479,601 1,000,000 1,030,000 1,060,900 1,092,727Progression expenditure 319,734 800,000 824,000 848,720 874,182Expenditure on financial support 18,349,869 19,188,173 18,073,758 16,852,921 16,377,096
Total expenditure 20,422,284 24,188,173 23,223,758 22,157,421 21,840,731
Summary of Access Agreement Expenditure (2015/16 Access Agreement)
Table 6b – OFFA expenditure summary, as a % of higher fee income
Academic year
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Higher fee income (HFI) 53,060,635 57,038,160 57,616,455 57,697,500 57,643,500Access 2 6 6 6 6Student success 1 2 2 2 2Progression expenditure 1 1 1 1 2Financial Support 35 34 31 29 28
Total expenditure % of HFI 38 42 40 38 38
Context• The Manchester Bursary is available to any student who is registered on an
eligible UG degree course at the University and who has had a financial assessment by Student Finance.
• The bursary is additional to the government package of maintenance grants.
• Bursaries are paid in three instalments: 25% in December, 50% in February and 25% in April.
• Support targeted at those from lowest household incomes.
• Definition of ‘need’ in relation to student financial support. Lowest household incomes or gap between financial support and cost of living?
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/student-finance/
Evaluation FrameworkPhase
Approach Data Source Sample
Phase 1:
Initial take-up
Quantitative analysis of the take up and choices made by recipients (cash, fee discount, accommodation discount)
Student record data following allocations of financial awards
Entrants in 2012 – analysis of choices made by 4690 students
Phase 2:
Student Voice
Quantitative and qualitative feedback and comments from recipients
Online survey of all students receiving The Manchester Bursary Series of interviews with recipients
April 2013 – survey distributed to 1,422 recipients – 316 complete responses =22.6% response rate Oct-Dec 2013 -20 semi-structured interviews
Phase 3:
Longitudinal evaluation
Quantitative analysis of retention of recipients Quantitative analysis of academic performance of recipients (e.g. annual examination attainment, final degree classification)
Future regression analysis of Student Record data to explore the relationship between The Manchester Bursary, retention, academic performance.
Next steps - 2015/16
Semi-structured Interviews
In autumn 2013, a series of 20 one-to-one semi-structured interviews were carried out by the UMSU with bursary recipients
Aim was to explore recipients:•decision making – institution and academic•financial situation – how they felt about their finances•standard of living – how they used their bursary
Data collated from the interviews has been coded and analysed
Semi-structured InterviewsDecision making
The most frequent reason for wanting to come to The University of Manchester was proximity
Participant 1: “I grew up in Liverpool, for many years, so I didn’t really want to go there, because it was a city that I was aware of. I wanted to go to a big city, not too far away.”
Participant 2:“I wanted something quite local, because I am older and have a family; I didn’t want to relocate.”
Participant 14:“I don’t know; I wanted to stay close by, so that I could keep my job, and the University of Manchester had the best reputation of the universities in the area.”
Semi-structured InterviewsFinancial Situation
Many students are unable to turn to their family for financial support
Participant 20: “The bursary last year paid for my deposit on my house that I’m in now, and if I didn’t have that then I wouldn’t have been able to pay it at the same time as everyone else. It’s really useful, my family can’t really send me any money.”
Participant 7:“I would’ve, but it would’ve been a lot harder to do. I would’ve needed to ask my family for money more often and help. I don’t like doing that because they don’t have much anyway.”
Participant 4:“I am from a lower income family, and my dad wouldn’t be able to give me any support – I needed that from the University.”
Semi-structured InterviewsFinancial situation
All but one student reported that if the bursary were removed, they would continue with their studies
Participant 6:“I’d have to budget a lot more carefully; I’d be a lot harder on myself for spending any money. It would be on my mind a lot more; I don’t think that I’d be able to relax and study.”
Participant 17:“I’d probably have a gap year where I’d just work or something, that’s kind of my plan - I wouldn’t leave totally, because I’ve always wanted to go to university.”
Participant 1:“No, I don’t think it would come to dropping out, because if it really came to rock bottom then I live an hour away on the train. If it came to that then I could commute. I don’t want to, but if it came to that then I could do.”
Standard of Living
Participation in student life and social activities is determined by funds available
Participant 19:“I definitely wouldn’t have been able to afford some of the things that I’ve done. As I said before, we went to Prague, with the History Society - it wasn’t too expensive, but if I hadn’t have that, then I don’t think I could’ve justified spending that much money.”
Participant 5:“Probably, yeah; I’ll join my course societies anyway, if I can afford to, and I’ll probably budget for a few more if I can afford a few more. It’ll be course ones first, and then fun.”
Participant 11:“I would say that a quarter or a third is going to the household; at least another third is going on resources, and the rest is for socialising.”
Semi-structured Interviews
Next steps
Phase
Approach Data Source Sample
Phase 1:
Initial take-up
Quantitative analysis of the take up and choices made by recipients (cash, fee discount, accommodation discount)
Student record data following allocations of financial awards
Entrants in 2012 – analysis of choices made by 4690 students
Phase 2:
Student Voice
Quantitative and qualitative feedback and comments from recipients
Online survey of all students receiving The Manchester Bursary Series of interviews with recipients
April 2013 – survey distributed to 1,422 recipients – 316 complete responses =22.6% response rate Oct-Dec 2013 -20 semi-structured interviews
Phase 3:
Longitudinal evaluation
Quantitative analysis of retention of recipients Quantitative analysis of academic performance of recipients (e.g. annual examination attainment, final degree classification)
Future regression analysis of Student Record data to explore the relationship between The Manchester Bursary, retention, academic performance.
Next steps - 2015/16
• Students believe that the bursary has had a positive impact on their student experience
• Removal of the bursary would have a big impact on their standard of living
• 19 of the 20 students interviewed reported that they would continue with their studies if the bursary were removed
Next steps
What do we want to look for in the statistical analysis?
Can we expect to see impact on non-continuation, performance, employability?
Can we identify a control/comparator group?
Conclusions and Insights