Some university dropout rates as high as tech colleges

Third-level dropout rates are as high in some universities as institutes of technology when account is taken of differences in their student intake and other factors.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) wants school students to get improved guidance and information after its latest analysis shows a slight improvement in progression of students to the second year of their college courses. The 14% of students who started courses in autumn 2014 but did not enter second-year a year later is down from 15% among the preceding year’s college entrants.

The HEA report shows that institutes of technology (IoTs) continue to have much higher numbers who do not make it to year two. The non-progression rates on their non-degree courses were as high as 27%, up from 25% in a year, compared to 15% on their honours (level 8) degree courses.