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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National

THE TRUTH ABOUT: We must not gatekeep access to university | History Defined

Graduates cheer and throw their hats in the air for a photograph after a degree ceremony at Birmingham University, UK.
‘Restricting loans on the basis of traditional qualifications risks closing the door on capable students whose potential emerges later.’ Photograph: Andrew Fox/Alamy

The proposals to review student loan eligibility for those without A-levels raises an important question about access to higher education (Vice-chancellor calls for review into student loans for those without A-levels, 6 March). As someone who entered university without A-levels, I find the suggestion frustrating.

I graduated with a first-class bachelor’s degree in engineering from a former polytechnic and later completed a master’s degree in engineering at a redbrick university. I have also repaid my student loan in full, helped by lower fees, better repayment terms and a means-tested grant towards part of my living expenses.

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