Key points
- The speech and language therapy student population is much less ethnically diverse than the student population as a whole.
- 18% of the speech and language therapy student population have declared a disability.
Introduction
The statistics in this section are about the speech and language therapy student population.
If you use these graphs then please also ensure the sources are referenced too. All data is rounded according to HESA standard rounding methodology it remains the property of RCSLT and should not be passed on or published without further permission.
In terms of the profession as a whole, we know that it is 3% male and 97% female from HCPC figures. We do not have any other diversity information.
Diversity: gender
Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
This data is provided for the purpose of considering the gender diversity of the speech and language therapy profession. All data is rounded according to HESA standard rounding methodology. It remains the property of RCSLT and should not be passed on or published without further permission.
Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18; HESA Student Record 2018/19. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.
Overview
- Overall gender split of the student population has remained relatively steady over the years for which we have data.
- On the face of it there is little difference between the post-graduate and undergraduate routes in terms of gender split, but;
- Almost 83% of male students start their course at the age of 21 or over;
- Use of the Polar 4 socio-economic methodology shows up there is a significantly greater percentage of male SLTs from more disadvantaged areas – though note that polar 4 for over 21s is based on the student’s postcode not the parents’. That said there is a similar trend for 18-21 year olds.
- Male student admission has fallen to 3.4% for those who started in 2018. The absolute number of male admissions was the same in 2017 and 2018 against a backdrop of an increase in overall student numbers.
Speech and language therapy students and admissions
Speech and language therapy students by gender 2014-2019
| 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | ||||||
| Gender | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| Female | 2625 | 96 | 2530 | 95.1 | 2550 | 94.9 | 2545 | 95.2 | 2580 | 95.3 |
| Male | 110 | 4 | 130 | 4.9 | 135 | 5.1 | 125 | 4.8 | 125 | 4.7 |
| Total* | 2735 | 100 | 2660 | 100 | 2690 | 100 | 2670 | 100 | 2710 | 100 |
* These figures have been rounded up so not all the columns will add up
SLT student admissions 2014 – 2019
| 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | ||||||
| Gender | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| Female | 960 | 96.6 | 820 | 95.9 | 820 | 94.4 | 790 | 94.9 | 775 | 94.9 |
| Male | 35 | 3.4 | 35 | 4.1 | 50 | 5.6 | 40 | 5.1 | 40 | 5.1 |
| Total* | 995 | 100 | 855 | 100 | 870 | 100 | 830 | 100 | 820 | 100 |
*These figures have been rounded up so not all columns add up.
SLT students by gender and age 2018/19
| Age on entry | Female % | Male % | All students % |
| 17-20 | 40.4 | 17.3 | 39.5 |
| 21+ | 59.6 | 82.7 | 60.5 |
| All ages | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Diversity: ethnicity
This data is provided for the purpose of considering and understanding the ethnic diversity of the speech and language therapy profession. All data is rounded according to HESA standard rounding methodology. It remains the property of RCSLT and should not be passed on or published without further permission.
Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18; HESA Student Record 2018/19. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.
Definitions used in these statistics follow that of ONS used in the UK Census. Only UK domiciled students in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are required to report their ethnic origin.
- White includes White, White – Scottish, Irish Traveller, Gypsy or Traveller, plus Other White background.
- Black includes Black or Black British – Caribbean, Black or Black British – African, and other Black background.
- Asian includes Asian or Asian British – Indian, Asian or Asian British – Pakistani, Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi, Chinese, and other Asian background.
- Mixed includes mixed – White and Black Caribbean, mixed – White and Black African, mixed – White and Asian, other mixed background.
- Other includes Arab and other ethnic background.
- Unknown/Not applicable is used to denote those who are Non-UK domiciled, have an unknown domicile (2014/15 onwards), have refused to give ethnic information or whose ethnicity is unknown.
Students and admissions
Number of speech and language therapy students by ethnicity 2014-19
| Ethnicity (Grouped) | 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 |
| White | 2090 | 2090 | 2160 | 2165 | 2230 |
| Black | 75 | 70 | 70 | 55 | 45 |
| Asian | 185 | 160 | 140 | 150 | 125 |
| Mixed | 85 | 75 | 70 | 60 | 60 |
| Other | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 20 |
| Unknown / Not Applicable | 275 | 240 | 230 | 225 | 230 |
| Total * | 2735 | 2660 | 2690 | 2670 | 2710 |
* Note numbers may not add up due to rounding
Student ethnicity
SLT student admissions 2014-2019 by ethnicity
| Ethnicity (Grouped) | 2018-19 | 2018-17 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 |
| White | 750 | 640 | 695 | 655 | 645 |
| Black | 25 | 25 | 35 | 20 | 15 |
| Asian | 80 | 65 | 35 | 55 | 50 |
| Mixed | 30 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 10 |
| Other | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Unknown / Not Applicable | 95 | 85 | 65 | 60 | 90 |
| Total * | 995 | 855 | 890 | 830 | 820 |
* Note numbers may not add up due to rounding
Diversity: disability
Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.
SLT students socio-economic classifications
Definition:*this is the socio-economic background/ occupation of the parents, step-parents or guardian of students aged under 21.
Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.
POLAR4 is based on the combined participation rates of those who entered HE between the academic years 2009-10 and 2013-14, if they entered aged 18, or between 2010-11 and 2014-15 if they entered aged 19. The POLAR4 classification is formed by ranking five groups from quintile 1 areas, with the lowest young participation (most disadvantaged), up to quintile 5 areas with the highest rates (most advantaged), each representing 20 percent of the UK young cohort. Students have been allocated to the neighbourhoods on the basis of their postcode. Those students whose postcode falls within middle layer super output areas with the lowest participation (quintile 1) are denoted as being from a low participation neighbourhood.
Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.
POLAR4 is based on the combined participation rates of those who entered HE between the academic years 2009-10 and 2013-14, if they entered aged 18, or between 2010-11 and 2014-15 if they entered aged 19. The POLAR4 classification is formed by ranking five groups from quintile 1 areas, with the lowest young participation (most disadvantaged), up to quintile 5 areas with the highest rates (most advantaged), each representing 20 percent of the UK young cohort. Students have been allocated to the neighbourhoods on the basis of their postcode. Those students whose postcode falls within middle layer super output areas with the lowest participation (quintile 1) are denoted as being from a low participation neighbourhood.
Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.