Students could be required to pass GCSE English to access university loans
Proposals under discussion in England would require students to pass GCSE English to qualify for government-backed student loans, affecting over 30,000 students annually and potentially harming universities that rely on non-traditional entrants.
Ministers in England are considering introducing minimum grade requirements for students to access student loans. Under one proposal, a pass in GCSE English would become the national threshold for students to receive tuition and maintenance loans from the Student Loans Company.
The change would affect more than 30,000 students each year who start full-time first degrees without formal qualifications like GCSEs. It could also be a financial disaster for universities that enroll large numbers of such students, often through franchise arrangements with external partners.
Critics argue the regulation would disproportionately harm students from poorer backgrounds and non-traditional backgrounds, including those educated overseas or who struggled within the school system.
Rachel Hewitt, chief executive of the MillionPlus group representing modern universities, said: "Universities are autonomous institutions, and if a student can meet their requirements, is willing to take on that investment and is assessed to be capable, MillionPlus questions why the government thinks placing additional barriers in their way is the correct way forward." She added that it risks blocking access for mature students seeking to re-enter education later in life.
The Department for Education (DfE) declined to comment on speculation but a spokesperson said they are restoring universities as engines of opportunity and cracking down on poor-quality courses.
Libby Hackett, chief executive of the Russell Group, called for collaboration with the higher education sector to avoid punishing mature students and other groups. She supported the principle of a national minimum entry standard but stressed the need for flexibility.
Last year, over 33,000 domestic students lacked formal qualifications, representing one in 15 first-year students. Several universities admitted more than half of their domestic students without recorded formal qualifications.
Additionally, according to Times Higher Education, the government is preparing to cut its teaching grant for university courses in England by a further £100m for the 2026-27 academic year. The DfE said final decisions are still being made.
