Government Gives Green Light to SOAS Access Agreement
12 July 2011
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has approved SOAS’ access agreement which was submitted in April 2011 as part of the Government’s new tuition fees policy for higher education.
The agreement sets out SOAS’ fee limits and the access measures it plans to put in place, which include an increased investment in bursaries, fee waivers and scholarships to support students from lower income backgrounds and to improve retention for such students. OFFA has estimated that at SOAS the average cost per student after allowance for financial support will be £8,378.
New provisions will include:
- £1.2m commitment to widening access and student success in 2012/13
- Free transitional and first year study support for disadvantaged groups
- 50% reduction in fees for all students from low participation neighbourhoods
- Generous financial support package for low income students
“Getting approval from OFFA for our access agreement is good news for students who are in most need of support,” said SOAS Director Professor Paul Webley. “We have looked closely at our priorities in light of changes to funding for higher education and have brought together a broader range of outreach programmes and financial support packages to ensure more students from a variety of backgrounds come to SOAS.”
SOAS will run outreach programmes in partnership with schools and colleges, offering advice and guidance about higher education and careers to a wide range of students.
Additional support will be offered to SOAS students throughout their studies with a focus on student success and employability. Outreach activities will include summer schools, master classes, academic attainment programmes and other support initiatives. Alongside these activities SOAS will invest more in its campuses to offer better facilities at its central London campuses.
For more details on SOAS’ access agreement visit www.soas.ac.uk/add/wp/.
