A mature student isn’t necessarily someone who wears cardigans and shakes their greying head in a responsible way saying, ‘It’s not like it was in my day’. Nor necessarily are they pushing on a bit.

Students can be classified as mature from as young as 21. If you were alive when Frankie said Relax or it was fashionable to wear shoulder pads so wide you could only go through doors sideways, you’re probably old enough to be a mature student. The only generally accepted definition is that mature students are not the same age as conventional students and they are (with a few exceptions) not coming to higher education straight from school.

In the vital statistics panel in the general section of each college profile, we provide figures for the percentage of mature students. That can vary from the single digits to a few universities where 18-year olds are the freaks. Naturally enough, this is one of the best indicators of how well geared up the university may be for mature students. After all, there’s safety in numbers. Or failing that, other people to moan with.

A few wise words for mature students and those returning to higher education:

• Special provisions
• Accommodation
• Social life
• Welfare and childcare provisions

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