Geographic and socio-economic inequalities and access to higher education: is the proximity of higher education institutions associated with the probability of university attendance for young people in England?

The relationship between geography and university choice is well documented and suggests that a studentâs location substantially limits their selection of university. However, there are relatively few studies investigating the interplay between geography and university participation. These few studies reach varied and conflicting conclusions. The most recent study of geography and participation in England used a dataset over ten years old, and, since which, tuition fees have risen over ninefold (Gibbons & Vignoles, 2011). This study aims to establish if distance to university is associated with the probability of participating in higher education in England and if this relationship is evenly spread across regions. It also explores how distance may impact studentâs university decisions. The project uses a mixed methods research design that combines a quantitative analysis of secondary datasets with an analysis of interviews. The study employs a partially mixed sequential dominant status design with a regression analysis of HEFCE participation data forming the core of the study. Controlling for deprivation, the regression analysis uses average direct measures of distance between each ward and university campus in England to determine the relationship between distance and university participation. The findings suggest that geographical distance to university has a significant negative association with university participation indicated by an average 1% drop for every 6km the distance measure increases. A regional analysis suggested that the association was greatest in the East of England region and an interaction analysis indicated that students in deprived and distant wards suffered a double disadvantage. Interview responses from experts on Key Stage 5 student progression complemented the regression analysis and uncovered that participation in rural areas is subject to greater financial and social costs. It is hoped that the findings of the research may help to raise awareness of geographical inequalities and inform policy on university access.