The increase in tuition fees introduced in 2012 has resulted in a decrease of 40,000 part-time students, according to research by the Sutton Trust.
The study also found that the number of part-time students in England fell by 51% between 2010 to 2015 – from 216,000 to 106,000 – with the biggest decline being amongst students over 35.
Professor Claire Callender, co-author of the research, said the 2012 student funding reforms aimed at stemming ‘the long-term decline in part-time study’ have instead ‘had the opposite effect’.
She said: “The reforms largely explain the dramatic and continuing fall in part-time undergraduate enrolments.
“The new loans for part-timers were meant to mitigate any negative effect on access resulting from rising tuition fees. They have not, and more loans will not reverse the decline.
“We need to provide financial incentives for prospective students to study part-time and for universities and FE [further education] colleges to deliver part-time courses.”
In a statement published by The Independent, a Department for Education spokesperson said everyone who wants to enter higher education ‘should be able to’.
They said: “We already offer loans for all types of students, including those who are part-time, but we recognise the difficulties faced by some students, which is why for the first time ever we plan to introduce full-time equivalent maintenance loans in 2018/19 to support those people who want to study part-time.
“The Prime Minister also made clear last month that we are undertaking a major review of post-18 education and funding to ensure that the system is giving everyone a genuine choice between high quality technical, vocational and academic routes, and students and taxpayers are getting value for money. This includes more flexible routes, like part-time study.”