In response to the announcement, Dr Diana Beech, Chief Executive Officer, London Higher said:
“Today’s decision by UCAS to waive the application fee for students in receipt of free school meals (FSM) is welcome news for those fearing they would be locked out of higher education simply because they do not have the funds to apply.
It has always been incongruous that, in England, students who want to go to university can access the financial means to do so through Student Finance England, irrespective of background or circumstance. Yet, until now, there has been no support given to those applying to university in the first place. Today, that barrier is gone, and this application fee waiver will see many more people realising their dreams and acquiring the high-level skills the UK economy needs.
In London, by 2030, almost three quarters (73%) of entrants to higher education are expected to come from FSM backgrounds. This move will open up invaluable opportunities and raise career prospects for thousands of young Londoners otherwise locked out of the region’s highly skilled workforce needs”.
