- HEPI study finds 1 in 4 transgender university applicants were in care, compared to 1 in 20 peers.
- Transgender applicants were more likely from deprived areas, with 22% declaring a mental health condition.
A new study finds that one in four transgender university applicants have been in the care system, in contrast to just one in twenty of their peers.
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) discovered that 24 percent of transgender individuals applying to courses have experienced local authority care, compared to only 4 percent of other applicants.
Additionally, transgender applicants were more likely to originate from deprived areas compared to their peers, with 18 percent versus 13 percent.
The report also revealed that nearly half of transgender applicants— 47 percent declare a disability, compared to 12 percent of other applicants. Moreover, more than a fifth—22 percent report a mental health condition, in contrast to 3 percent of the general applicant pool. HEPI estimates that nearly 39 percent of transgender individuals are of traditional university age, 18 to 21, during at least part of their transition period.
The study found that transgender students who apply to higher education institutions have consistently lower-than-average A-level grades and are less likely to apply to Oxbridge universities.
