As British Tuitions Rise, Postsecondary Access Gap Grows

The number of students from low-income backgrounds enrolling in British universities has declined for the first time since the country began keeping records, The Independent reported. The decline -- 22 percent of students who had sought free meals in high school at age 15 enrolled in a university in 2012-13, down from 23 percent the year before -- came after Britain changed its postsecondary policies to ratchet tuition up to 9,000 pounds per year and increase the use of student loans. Times Higher Education reported that the new government data also showed a widening of the gap in postsecondary access between those who attend private schools and state secondary schools.