Press & PR

Oxford and Cambridge have been told they must do more to accept students from different backgrounds or risk missing targets.

The Institute for Public Policy Research states that Oxford is the furthest behind, being unlikely to hit access standards until 2016, while Cambridge is on course for 2012 - one year behind schedule.

Lisa Harker, co-director of the organisation, called for a "proactive" approach from both the institutions.

"Oxford and Cambridge must stop blaming a lack of applications for their failure to make progress," she asserted.

However, a fear of the fees may be preventing a lot of individuals from applying to these benchmark universities.

Recent research from NatWest revealed that one in three graduates would not have applied for their place at university if they were fully aware of the scale of their debt when they leave.

One way in which university-goers could save their hard-earned cash is by taking advantage of the Vonage V-Phone. Small enough to fit onto a keyring, it acts like a fully functioning landline once plugged into the USB port of a broadband connected PC, making it perfect for students.