Support for part-time study and disabled students: consultation analysis

Key points from the consultation

Overview of support requirements

• The responses to the two sets of consultation questions on Citizen Space highlighted the significant value of part-time and distance learning in offering more flexible and affordable study options.
• Respondents to both sets of consultation questions noted that these study options make education more accessible, allowing individuals to balance learning with work, caring responsibilities or managing disabilities or health conditions.
• The range of experiences described in the qualitative research illustrated the diversity of needs for support for part-time study, distance learning, and disabled students.
• The research also highlighted that some students are dealing with a complex set of needs and circumstances, including physical conditions, trauma-related needs, and caring responsibilities. In addition to informing the support required to enable study, these needs and circumstances could also impact the ability of students to access available support.
• Students with more complex needs could also be in a particularly vulnerable financial position, facing potential barriers to study. Feedback from interviews with these students emphasised the importance of access to good quality information on financial support, and support to access available funding, in enabling individuals to pursue their chosen study path.

Simplifying support

• The complexity of accessing the current support system for part-time and distance learning study was a recurring theme in responses to the consultation questions.
• Respondents described the application process as confusing and burdensome, and called for simpler processes, more and clearer information about what support is available and who is eligible, and greater parity between part-time and full-time students.
• While some respondents described positive experiences, the prevailing view was that improvements are needed to make support more transparent and equitable.
• Similarly, there was strong consensus regarding the need to simplify support for disabled students. Respondents to both sets of consultation questions felt the current processes are complex, burdensome, and inconsistent, with application forms and evidence requirements often cited as barriers.
• There is widespread agreement that a streamlined and more consistent process, with clearer communication, more accessible information, and a greater understanding of the needs of disabled students among staff in institutions, would help address these challenges.

Support for part-time or distance learning study

• While many student consultation respondents felt the financial support available to them helped them complete their course, the current eligibility criteria and income thresholds often leave some ineligible for financial support.
• The means-tested approach to fee waivers and the PTFG was generally supported by respondents to both sets of consultation questions, but there were widespread calls for thresholds to be increased.
• There was also strong support for extending living cost support to part-time and distance learners, with many believing this would reduce financial stress and improve educational outcomes.
• Respondents emphasised the importance of ensuring that eligibility criteria are fair and recognise the unique challenges faced by these students.

Support for disabled students

• While many student consultation respondents acknowledged that adjustments and support packages were put in place promptly, others experienced delays, administrative hurdles, or incomplete delivery of support.
• Student consultation respondents raised concerns about delays, lack of awareness of the support available, and difficulties in accessing or advocating for support.
• Stakeholder consultation respondents echoed these themes, emphasising the importance of the availability and accessibility of funding, as well as the flexibility of institutional support, in influencing disabled students’ decisions to study part-time or full-time.
• A majority of student consultation respondents were satisfied with their experience of DSA for HE study. However, respondents to both sets of consultation questions called for improvements to the DSA application process, including faster decisions, streamlined forms, and better communication.
• Mixed views were expressed on whether separate or single DSA allowance limits are preferable, with student consultation respondents slightly favouring separate allowances and Stakeholders typically preferring a single allowance. Those favouring separate allowances felt this offered more flexibility, while a single allowance was seen as simpler and fairer.
• Mixed views were also recorded on how financial support for disabled students in FE should be managed. In general, the colleges responding to the consultation felt it should continue to be handled by colleges, but student consultation respondents were more likely to favour students managing their own financial support. Several other respondents in both consultations felt both options should be available, with the choice made by students on a case-by-case basis.

Non-financial support and improvements

• The experience of participants in the qualitative research also shows that non-financial support can make a real difference for students, both in terms of studying and their wider wellbeing and quality of life.
• They described examples of good practice in providing tailored support to enable individuals to study, to help students identify and access available financial support, and ongoing work by students and institutions to advocate for disabled students and those with additional support needs.
• Consultation respondents highlighted two key areas of non-financial support that they felt could benefit both part-time and distance learning students and disabled students. These were to have more wellbeing and mental health support, including taking action to reduce any feelings of isolation, and for better digital and IT provision, including the use of more accessible technology for disabled students.