University: Rise in level of NI undergraduate students dropping out

The National Union of Students says the new data suggests the rising cost of living was making university harder to afford

The number of Northern Irish undergraduate students dropping out of university rose by almost 60% in the 2021-22 academic year.

That is according to data published from the Student Loans Company (SLC).

According to the SLC, 1,232 NI students withdrew from degree courses in 2021-22 compared to 781 the previous year.

The National Union of Students (NUS) said the figures were "shocking" suggesting the rising cost of living was making university harder to afford.

The SLC is the body responsible for administering loans and grants to students in the UK.

It is therefore told by universities when a student has withdrawn from their degree course.

The proportion of students dropping out of their degree courses had previously fallen to record lows during the Covid-19 pandemic

The proportion of students dropping out of their degree courses had previously fallen to record lows during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2018-19, the last full university year before the Covid-19 pandemic, 1,184 Northern Irish students withdrew from undergraduate degree courses.

Some 894 Northern Ireland students withdrew from university in 2019-20.

The SLC data is for students whose home address is in Northern Ireland so they could have dropped out of their course at any university in the UK, not just those in Northern Ireland.

The overall drop-out rate for students at UK universities also rose by 23%.

The numbers are for withdrawals of undergraduates only, and do not include postgraduate students.

The SLC did not give reasons for the rise in the number of students who decided to leave their degree course.

'It could get worse'

In a statement, the National Union of Students ( NUS) vice president for higher education, Chloe Field, urged the government to take action.

"We've warned that student dropouts could increase as university becomes less affordable, and it could get even worse this year," she said.

"Students are telling us they can't afford to continue their studies; they're having to choose between feeding themselves and carrying on their education.

"Many can no longer afford to travel to placements, they're holding down multiple jobs to make ends meet.

"Inevitably, it is the students from the poorest backgrounds who are being disproportionately affected.

"The government needs to take control of this situation by tying student support with inflation and delivering urgent maintenance grants and bursaries, otherwise student poverty will continue to grow and we'll see even more dropouts."