Leadership

Preparing For Hyper-Diversity: London’s Student Population In 2030

Almost three quarters of university students from London will be from ethnic minorities by the end of the next decade, according to this report by Access HE. The report shows a growing ethnic minority population in the school system and says young people from black and Asian families are more likely to apply for university.

The analysis, based on demographic changes and university entry rates, shows 27% of students from London will be white - down from 37% at present. White students will still be the biggest ethnic group - followed by 21% from African backgrounds, up from 17%. 

There is a forecast of a particular growth in Londoners from African and mixed-race backgrounds going to university. The number of white students is expected to increase, but not as much as other groups - so that it will become a smaller proportion of the total. There will be an increase in the proportion of students from Bangladeshi backgrounds, who will become the biggest Asian group, with 8% of London students. 

While African students are expected to become the second largest ethnic group, the proportion of students from a Caribbean background will fall from 6% to 4%. The number of Indian students will fall from 7% to 4%, while Pakistani students will remain at 5%. 

The prediction is of a future with no ethnic group being a majority. This means about a quarter of students from London will be white, a quarter black, a quarter Asian and a quarter from other groups or from a mix of backgrounds. 

The study, covering young people from state and private schools from outer and inner London, has been produced by Access HE, which works with universities and colleges on widening access. 

Students who will go to university at the end of the next decade are currently in primary school, and the analysis is based on demographic changes, university figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the different levels of university participation of ethnic groups. 

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