AQW 2962/11-15


Mr Jim Allister KC
Traditional Unionist Voice
North Antrim


Tabled Date: 06/10/2011
Answered On Date: 13/10/2011
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning how many students from (a) a Roman Catholic and (b) a Protestant background have (i) applied for a place at; and (ii) enrolled at (a) Queen's University; (b) the University of Ulster, broken down by each campus; (iii) St Mary's University College; and (iv) Stranmillis University College in each of the last five years.


Answer:
The Department does not hold information on the religion of applicants to university and nor is it collected by Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The Department does however hold information on the religion of Northern Ireland (NI) domiciled students enrolled at the NI Higher Education Institutions.
Therefore, the number of NI domiciled students from a Catholic and a Protestant background enrolled at Queen's University; the University of Ulster, broken down by each campus; St Mary's University College; and Stranmillis University College in each of the last five years is detailed in the tables below.
(a)Catholic background
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
The Queen’s University of Belfast
8,565
7,920
8,245
8,265
8,710
University of Ulster, Belfast
525
495
545
540
660
University of Ulster, Coleraine
1,950
1,860
1,760
1,570
1,655
University of Ulster, Jordanstown
6,900
6,405
6,105
5,995
6,640
University of Ulster, Magee
2,395
2,230
2,090
1,905
2,115
Stranmillis University College
195
185
160
195
280
St Mary’s University College
950
965
910
905
935
(b)Protestant background
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
The Queen’s University of Belfast
7,360
6,510
6,735
6,600
6,740
University of Ulster, Belfast
500
475
450
465
540
University of Ulster, Coleraine
2,200
2,145
2,110
1,940
2,040
University of Ulster, Jordanstown
4,670
4,000
3,685
3,430
3,850
University of Ulster, Magee
590
530
530
475
590
Stranmillis University College
960
915
680
655
645
St Mary’s University College
20
15
10
10
5
Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency
Notes:
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
The latest available data are for 2009/10.
Information on religion is only collected for NI domiciled students studying at NI Higher Education Institutions and therefore the above tables do not include students from outside NI.
Religious affiliation is not a mandatory question and therefore can have a high non-response rate.
As well as Catholic and Protestant, the religion of students can also be classified as “Other” or “Not known/available”. These two categories accounted for between 18-21% of Northern Ireland domiciled students enrolled at NI Higher Education Institutions between 2005/06 and 2009/10.