Despite spending more than £300 million, university bursary schemes have proven unsuccessful in attracting disadvantaged students to elite universities, a recent report has shown.

The report, issued by the Government’s university watchdog, the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), analysed the applications of a million teenagers between 2003 and 2008. It found that although there was an overall rise in the number of poorer students entering higher education, this was not represented at the top universities, with the proportion of teenagers going to the most prestigious universities staying "almost flat".

This is despite the introduction in 2006 of a £304 million bursary scheme in which top universities offered poorer students with high grades up to £3,500, which they do not have to repay.

In contrast, the research showed that the universities which offered lower levels of bursary saw an increase in the proportion of students from poorer backgrounds.

The study ‘Have bursaries influenced choices between universities?’ showed that teenagers from wealthy backgrounds were 5.1 times more likely than poorer students to get into top universities in 2009, compared with 4.6 times 15 years ago.

It was also reported that even when young people from poor families are offered a place to a top university they are reluctant to take it up despite the promise of a generous bursary.

Tom Dalton, a second-year chemical engineer student on a full bursary offers his opinion – "the real issue that top universities have is...students are put off from applying simply because the universities appear elitist. Until these social barriers are broken down many students will remain reluctant to go".

Sir Martin Harris, OFFA’s director, has also suggested reasons behind the under-representation of poorer students at top universities. "Maybe these students did the wrong subjects....students should be told at 14 which subjects they should choose if they wanted to apply to a top university". He added that universities should do more with schools in disadvantaged areas.

CUSU Access and Funding Officer Andy McGowan commented that "much more still needs to be done" to widen participation of students from the poorest backgrounds.

Offa encouraged top universities to waive tuition fees altogether for the poorest students, for their first year of study at least. They also recommended diverting some of the £591 million spent between 2006 and 2008 on bursaries towards improving access and outreach projects which received just £84 million in the same time period.