This publication is categorised as a CSO Frontier Series Output. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release as it may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources.
This chapter covers statistics on the outcomes of new entrants to general (or ordinary) degree programs. The General Degree is normally awarded after completion of an accredited programme of three years’ duration at NFQ level 7 in a recognised higher education institution. Entry to a programme leading to a general degree is typically for school leavers and those with equivalent qualifications. In addition, there are single year add-on general degree programmes for holders of a higher certificate.
For the academic years 2012 - 2017, a total of 39,575 individuals started a general degree programme for the first time. Some 62% of these new entrants received either a SUSI maintenance grant to help with living costs, a fee grant towards tuition fees, or both. Of all new entrants, 5,804 were aged 23 years and over, and 70% of these received support from SUSI.
The following analysis combines all new entrants for the academic years 2012 to 2017 and provides detailed breakdowns of both their final degree results and their destinations five years after enrolment. Descriptions of the outcome definitions and SUSI classifications are provided in the Background Notes.
Eligibility for a SUSI grant is determined on several criteria including nationality, residency, income, previous education (and progression) and attending an approved course in an approved institution. Once a student or learner is deemed eligible the amount they receive is based on their proximity to the institution.
In order to provide SUSI with a greater understanding of the differences in outcomes, additional model-based estimates of students are provided.
To be eligible for SUSI funding, an applicant's household income must fall below specific income thresholds. The household income calculation depends on whether the applicant is classed as dependent or independent by SUSI. All new entrants under the age of 23 are automatically classified as dependent.
SUSI are particularly interested in the classification of students aged 23 years and over who did not receive support and this classification is achieved using model-based estimation.
How much funding an eligible SUSI applicant receives depends on the distance they normally live from the college they are going to attend. A higher grant rate is paid to those who live further from the college. SUSI refer to the distance an applicant normally lives from the college as adjacency.
While SUSI already has data on adjacency for all grant recipients, the adjacency classification for those who did not receive any support is estimated using additional CSO data.
For new entrants of all ages, there was no significant difference in degree outcomes between those who received SUSI support and those who did not.
The non-completion rate for all mature students was 33%. For those mature students who received SUSI support the non-completion rate was 30%. compared to 41% for those who did not receive support.
Note about the sub-category “Did not receive SUSI support” in the following data:
The classifications of “Dependency and Adjacency” for those who did not receive SUSI support were assigned using automated classification models based on student characteristics and geographical information. These classifications are included for statistical comparison purposes only. Please see Methodology for an explanation of the methods used.
For the academic years 2012 - 2017, a total of 5,804 individuals aged 23 years and over entered into a general degree program for the first time, 62% of whom were classified as mature independent. Those in receipt of maintenance or fee grants were classified by SUSI and those not in receipt of support were classified using an AI model.
For mature dependent new entrants, 33% of those who received SUSI support did not complete their degree compared with 38% for those who did not receive support based on model estimates. For mature independent new entrants, a substantially lower proportion 29% of those who received SUSI support did not complete their degree compared with 46% for those who did not receive support based on model estimates.
There is little difference in degree outcomes for non-adjacent and adjacent new entrants who did not receive SUSI support based on model estimates. For non-adjacent new entrants, 43% of those who received SUSI support did not complete their degree compared to 40% for those without support based on model estimates.
Figure 3.5 shows the destination outcomes for the 39,575 new entrants to general degree programs. Five years after enrolment, most students (62%) are in 'employment only'.
Mature new entrants are more likely to be neither in employment nor education (17%) compared to those aged under 23 (8%).
The destination outcomes for both mature dependent and mature independent new entrants are shown in Figure 3.6. It must be noted that the total number of persons found in some outcome destinations is less than 100, and therefore caution should be used when interpreting these statistics.
Mature independent students were more likely to be active in education (18%) compared to mature dependent students (15%) based on model estimates. There is no significant difference in the destination outcomes for those that received SUSI support compared to those who did not based on model estimates.
Destination outcomes for both non-adjacent and adjacent new entrants who did not receive SUSI support are very similar. The highest proportion (10%) of those neither in employment nor education were adjacent students who received SUSI support based on model estimates.
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