Every September, thousands of first-year students step onto the UofT campus for the first time. While most first-year students at UofT come to university directly out of high school, some students begin their university careers years after what is traditionally thought of as “university aged.” Though many of these students are only a few years older than the average first-year, they are referred to as “mature students.”
UofT does not publish demographics regarding the specific age of their students. The University’s annual “Facts and Figures” report, a document created by the Office of Planning and Budget, details various statistics, but it does not include any explicit information regarding the age distribution of their student body. While they do cite the median age of their undergraduate population as 20.6 years old in their 2017 report, the report makes no explicit reference to mature students at UofT. The report does, however, refer to the number of students enrolled in access-to-university programs—programs that are intended for people who do not have the formal qualifications for university admissions to help them gain admission to UofT. One such program, Woodsworth College’s Transitional Year Program, had 71 students enrolled in 2017. While this is not an exact number, it provides some insight into the number of mature students currently enrolled as undergraduates at UofT.
Though mature students make up a minority of undergrads at UofT, their unique position as students outside of the general age range of university students means that they may require specific resources from the university in order to make their education accessible. Age itself is never a limit to education or how much an individual can learn. However, because mature students have generally spent time away from an academic environment—some mature students may have been out of school for years and others may not have finished high school at all—they typically need to ease back into an academically intensive environment like UofT.
For students who have been away from school for a long time, there can be a bit of “culture shock,” according to Dr. Thomas Mathien, the former Interim Director of the Transitional Year Program. “Every student has to adjust to how a university operates, but it can be more complicated for people who are returning to school after a number of years or when their situation in a school has forced them out early.”
“The Academic Bridging Program (another access-to-university program at UofT) taught me how to use the library, university-level writing skills, and critical thinking skills… they got me in the mindset of being auniversity student after having been out of school for a while,” notes Shea, a mature student studying Sociology.
In addition to academic resources like access-to-university programs, mature students often need to access on-campus resources such as housing services and childcare services, which are available to all staff, faculty, and students at UofT. There are, however, huge limitations to the services that UofT can provide. For example, childcare services, a very important resource that many mature students need in order to pursue their studies, are often finite and hard to access. “There are very limited spaces in the university childcare centres and a limited amount of funding offered through municipal officers. And there’s no guarantee that you’ll get either,” says Dr. Mathien. Apart from childcare services, on-campus resources such as the Family Care Office also provide important educational and informative resources to students. They provide workshops, academic success advising, support for LGBTQ+ families, and much more.
Another example of an important on-campus resource is Accessibility Services. According to Dr. Mathien, “Sometimes the reason someone may come to university later on in life is because of a past education history that reflects a disability. So developing an accessibility service, even though it’s an overextended and overwhelmed system, definitely helps students who may not have been able to pursue a university education because of their accessibility needs in the past.”
Issues faced by mature students can also be exacerbated when students are members of a marginalized community. Race, gender, and sexuality are often closely linked to socioeconomics and the ability to access resources such as education; being a mature student from a marginalized community often means even fewer resources to draw upon. For example, some students may be the first in their family to attend university. There can be less family support, as students’ families may have a limited understanding of what being a university student involves. There can be familial responsibilities that often accompany students who may have left school to provide for their family. There can also be pressure to leave school and return home to be close to family, and home could be halfway across the world. There are also programs and resources available to students who are in this situation. The First in the Family program can connect students with peer mentors, learning strategists, and opportunities to meet other first-generation students like themselves.
There may even be benefits to entering university as a mature student. “Older students who know their own minds, who may have matured, who may have developed a deep interest due to what they’ve done in the rest of their lives—they very often are the best students. They’re there because they want to be there, not because it’s a custom to go,” Dr. Mathien notes.
Chiao, a mature student studying Cognitive Science and Psychology, says, “Age has actually been my greatest asset. I worked for four years before school, and because of that I knew more what I wanted to do.”
Shea also comments that “because I was financially independent, I feel as though I care more and I’m more invested in school because I’m financially responsible for it. It’s made me more diligent.”
Education should be accessible to anyone regardless of when in their life they choose to pursue it. It’s important to keep in mind the resources that are available to all students which make UofT more accessible—resources like Accessibility Services, the Family Care Office, and First in the Family—and to understand why they are important to the development of a university that provides equal access to all students. While mature students are a small minority at UofT, they should not be overlooked. The image of a “university student” should shift to include those who may be outside of the stereotypical fresh-faced freshman.
