Student access to English and Welsh universities has been undermined by the imposition of tuition fees and the ending of needs-tested maintenance grants, according to a recently released report.

For the second year in a row, full-time student recruitment targets are not being met at English and Welsh universities. But targets are being met in Scotland where Scottish students do not pay tuition fees up front and where maintenance grants are paid to poor students.

The report from the National Union of Students shows that the number of males from skilled, partly skilled and unskilled backgrounds, applying for full-time undergraduate programs, fell by almost seven per cent between 1997 and 1999.

Applications from black males of African and Caribbean backgrounds fell by nearly 11 per cent and nine per cent respectively.

"Black students and students from low income families are far less likely to enter higher education if they are liable to get into significant debt," said NUS president Owain James. "The numbers of students within these groups have fallen as a direct result of the imposition of tuition fees."

The student report Equal Access or Elitist Entry? can be viewed at www.nusonline.co.uk.