Lancaster’s commitment to fair access and quality backed by OFFA
The University’s plan to charge £9,000 fees for undergraduate courses from September 2012 has been accepted by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA). This will allow Lancaster to build on its track record of success in attracting bright students from a variety of different backgrounds and to invest further in the student experience.
Lancaster students will continue to enjoy the benefits of study at a top ten university among diverse peer groups.
Thanks to a £350m investment made in campus facilities and its academic excellence Lancaster has been able to consistently top student experience league tables.
Lancaster has made these investments alongside efforts to reach out and attract students from a wide range of backgrounds and has a strong record in delivering successful outreach programmes.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings said: “Lancaster’s generous and flexible package of financial support aims to attract and retain the most able students no matter what their circumstances.
“Students coming to Lancaster can be confident that they have chosen a top ten university where the student experience is outstanding and where making sure that our students leave with qualifications suited to a globally competitive environment is a priority.
“I hope that students will see great value in their investment at Lancaster and be reassured by the investment made by us into their education.”
Lancaster will spend £3.9m on measures to widen participation in 2012. This includes a £1.8m bursary and scholarship fund for new undergraduate students studying at Lancaster in 2012.
92 per cent of Lancaster’s students come from state schools and colleges. The University works with schools and runs activities such as summer schools to raise aspirations and encourage applications from bright students who might not have considered higher education.
Lancaster has relatively low dropout rates and does well for retention of students against national benchmarks. The supportive college system, emphasis on pastoral care and friendly campus contributes to this success.
About 400 students entering in 2012 will receive financial support towards living costs and tuition fees from Lancaster. Some students will be eligible for both scholarships and bursaries.
The package of support consists of:
The National Scholarship Programme:
£1,000 cash bursary in the 1st year of study
£1,000 on-campus accommodation discount in the 1st year of study
£1,000 tuition fee waiver in the 1st year of study
A Lancaster Bursary:
£1,000 cash bursary in the 2nd year of study
£1,000 cash bursary in the 3rd year of study
Students from England eligible for Lancaster’s £5,000 bursary package above will also be awarded a scholarship of £1,000 per annum if they achieve A*, A, A in their A-level examinations (or equivalent academic qualifications).
For further information about eligibility criteria and policies on Lancaster scholarships and bursaries please visit:
www.lancaster.ac.uk/ugfinance
The new fees are part of significant changes to the government’s funding of higher education. Students are not required to pay any fees upfront. Graduates will repay the cost of their education only when they are employed and earning above £21,000.