Gender

For first year undergraduate respondents, a higher proportion of male respondents cited employment reasons (6.0%) compared to female respondents (3.8%). Amongst final year undergraduate respondents, 8.2% of male respondents cited employment reasons as a reason for seriously considering withdrawal, compared to 4.3% of female respondents.

For taught postgraduate respondents, for both male and female respondents, personal or family reasons was most cited as a reason for seriously considering withdrawing. Employment reasons was slightly more commonly cited amongst male respondents (6.4%) than female respondents (4.2%).

Age group

Reasons for withdrawing differed by age group for first year undergraduate respondents. Amongst respondents aged 24 years and over, the most cited reason was financial reasons (12.9%), followed by personal or family reasons (11.9%). The least commonly cited reason was transfer to another institution (3.2%). In contrast, for those aged 23 years and under, the most cited reason was transfer to another institution (12.0%), followed by personal or family reasons (11.5%). The least commonly cited reason was employment reasons (4.4%).

Amongst final year undergraduate respondents aged 24 years and over, one in five cited personal or family reasons (21.3%). This was followed by financial reasons (14.1%), and health reasons (11.2%). For those aged 23 years and under, the most common reason cited was personal or family reasons (15.6%), followed by transfer to another institution (11.0%).

Mode of study

For first year undergraduate respondents, full-time respondents cited personal or family reasons (11.6%), followed by transfer to another institution (11.3%). For part-time respondents, personal or family reasons was cited most frequently (11.6%), followed by other reasons (6.5%).

For final year undergraduate respondents, full-time respondents cited personal or family reasons (17.5%), followed by financial reasons (12.0%). Part-time/ remote respondents most commonly cited personal or family reasons (18.5%), followed by other reasons (11.7%).

For taught postgraduate respondents, part-time/ remote respondents cited personal or family reasons (13.8%), followed by other reasons (9.0%). The least common reason was transfer to another institution (3.0%). For full-time taught postgraduate respondents, the most common reason cited was financial reasons (9.3%), followed by personal or family reasons (8.2%).

Country of domicile

Amongst first year undergraduate respondents, personal or family reasons was most cited amongst Irish domiciled respondents (11.7%). This was followed by transfer to another institution (9.9%) and financial reasons (9.7%). For internationally domiciled respondents, the most cited reason was transfer to another institution (12.1%), followed by financial reasons (11.2%) and personal or family reasons (10.9%).

For taught postgraduate respondents, 12.8% of Irish domiciled respondents cited personal or family reasons. This was followed by other reasons (8.6%), and financial reasons (8.2%). For internationally domiciled respondents, the most cited reason was financial reasons (6.8%) followed by personal or family reasons (6.5%).

Programme type

For first year undergraduate respondents, financial reasons were most cited amongst respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Ordinary Degree (13.6%). This was followed by personal or family reasons (12.8%). For respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Honours Degree, personal or family reasons was most cited (11.5%), followed by transfer to another institution (11.2%) and financial reasons (10.0%). For respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Certificate/ Diploma, 11.4% stated personal or family reasons, followed by other reasons (7.3%).

For final year undergraduate respondents, the reasons cited were similar between respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Ordinary Degree and respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Honours Degree. Nonetheless, 8.8% of respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Ordinary Degree cited employment reasons compared to 5.4% of respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Honours Degree. For respondents pursuing an Undergraduate Certificate/ Diploma, 15.4% stated personal or family reasons, while 10.8% stated financial reasons.

For taught postgraduate respondents, respondents pursuing an Graduate Certificate/ Diploma were most likely to cite personal or family reasons (11.3%), followed by other reasons (9.6%). Amongst respondents pursuing a Masters Taught, personal or family reasons (10.5%) was most cited, followed by financial reasons (8.5%).

Field of study

In the section above, certain fields of study had a higher proportion of respondents seriously considering withdrawing from their degree programme. This also varied by cohort. As such, the section below focuses solely on the fields per cohort that were most likely to consider withdrawal.

For first year undergraduate respondents, 14.0% of Arts and humanities respondents cited personal or family reasons, 11.2% cited financial reasons, and 10.7% cited transfer to another institution. The least common reason cited was employment reasons (4.8%). For Services respondents, the most common reason cited was financial reasons (11.9%), followed by personal or family reasons (10.3%).

Amongst final year undergraduate respondents, 22.8% of ICT respondents cited personal or family reasons, this was followed by other reasons (13.5%), and health reasons (12.0%). For Services respondents, one in five cited personal or family reasons (20.1%), followed by employment reasons (12.7%). Similarly, for Arts and humanities respondents, 20.8% cited personal or family reasons. A further 13.1% cited financial reasons, while only 5.9% cited employment reasons.

For taught postgraduate respondents, amongst Education respondents and Social sciences, journalism, and information respondents, the most common reasons for withdrawing were personal or family reasons, followed by financial reasons, and other reasons.