Navigating financial barriers in English universities: a phenomenographic exploration of mature male students' experiences

Abstract

This article, through phenomenographic research methodology explores mature male students' experiences of financial barriers in English universities 1, further exacerbated by factors of class, race and age. Up until now, phenomenography has mainly been used in educational research, exploring students' conceptions of learning. This study employs phenomenography to explore student experiences in different contexts. The study provides first-hand insights into the experiences of mature male students and the impact of financial barriers on them as there is limited literature, with the exception of a few researchers (Burke, 2009; Egerton, 2001; Gannon, 2014; Laming et al., 2019) on the experiences of mature male students. The voices of mature male students in specific contexts, as in the case of English universities, have been marginalised owing to multiple, intersecting factors. In drawing qualitative data from 15 mature male students studying at three Russell Group universities, this study offers important insights from students' perspectives on governmental and institutional fees and funding structures where a) the day-to-day living cost takes precedence over deferred debt of tuition fees, and b) financial challenges lead to further academic and social challenges. By raising awareness that education can be a transformative experience only when financial challenges are addressed, this study proposes small-scale interventions at the institutional level to enhance mature male students' university experiences.