New figures have exposed a stark disparity in degree attainment at English universities, where white students consistently outperform their ethnic minority peers, even when entering with the same A-level grades. According to research by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce), 72% of white students who achieved three B grades at A-level went on to secure a first or upper second-class degree – significantly higher than the 56% of Asian students and 53% of Black students with identical results.
Tracking the academic progress of 130,000 students who began full-time study in 2007 and graduated in 2011, Hefce's comprehensive study raises serious questions about the effectiveness of support mechanisms for Black and Asian undergraduates within English higher education institutions. Despite ongoing efforts to increase diversity among student recruitment, ethnic minority students continue to lag behind their white peers.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, stressed the importance of ethnic background data in understanding this disparity. He urged universities to critically evaluate their support systems for students from diverse backgrounds, highlighting that many appear to be underperforming relative to their classmates. The research also confirmed previous findings that state school pupils tend to outperform those from independent schools when comparing identical A-level results.
Rachel Wenstone, Vice President for Higher Education at the National Union of Students (NUS), described the figures as a "national shame." She highlighted the need for greater support for students from diverse backgrounds and those from low participation areas, who are disproportionately affected by these outcomes. Previous NUS research revealed that 16% of Black respondents had encountered racism within their institutions, which they attributed to declining confidence and motivation.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, acknowledged the long-standing concern surrounding the attainment gap between Black and minority ethnic students and white students. She noted that this is a complex issue that the higher education sector is actively working to address, with further research needed to identify effective solutions.