The government is set to crack down on “Mickey Mouse” degrees as part of the biggest shake-up of higher education funding in a decade.
Plans for minimum entry grades for university and caps on numbers are expected to be announced tomorrow, because the government thinks too many students are taking on debts for courses that will not help them earn more in the future.
The proposals, which will go out to consultation, are part of the government’s response to the Augar review of post-18 education and will be set out in full by Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Minister for Higher and Further Education Michelle Donelan.
The reforms mark a stark reversal of New Labour and coalition government policies which sought to encourage as many students as possible to go to university.
Fears have been raised that high minimum entry requirements could hit disadvantaged students the hardest.
Universities will be dismayed by any squeeze on their numbers, and are still awaiting any announcements on changes to tuition fees.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: “Higher education is an investment and we need to ensure that graduates are being rewarded for the money, time and effort they put into their studies with an educational experience and jobs that match their skills and help contribute to the economy.”
Under the plans either students who fail to gain a Grade 4 at GCSE – the equivalent of an old C – could be barred from accessing student loans, or those who fail to achieve EE at A-Level.
Caps on the number of students on “poor quality” courses will also be proposed. Courses with a high number of students dropping out and low proportion getting a decent job after graduation would be targeted.
Currently there is no cap on the number of students universities can recruit. Before 2012, when tuition fees rose to £9,000, there were tight controls on numbers.
The move will raise fears for “creative arts” subjects which are the most costly to the taxpayer because fewer alumni earn enough money to pay back their student loan in full.
The Department for Education said that minimum entrance requirements will ensure students are not “pushed into higher education before they are ready.”
Controls on student numbers will ensure that “poor-quality, low-cost courses aren’t incentivised to grow uncontrollably.”
New investment in courses that support the NHS and science and engineering subjects will also be announced, as well as a new national scholarship scheme to improve access for high achieving disadvantaged students.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: “Our universities are a great British success story. They are powerhouses of innovation and are playing a key part in revolutionising the skills system, helping making lifelong learning possible with more flexibility and technical training.
“But we need to ensure that we are creating opportunities that will not only open doors but will develop the talent our country needs to prosper now and in the future.”
