A qualitative interview study into the distinct experiences of Pakistani and Bangladeshi students in deciding to attend higher education

This paper will explore the experiences of Pakistani and Bangladeshi students and parents in making the decision to attend higher education (HE). It has become routine practice for many when examining participation rates to amalgamate Pakistani and Bangladeshi students thus leading to an inflation of their participation rates in HE. This combining of Pakistani and Bangladeshi may also mask barriers that are specific to these populations individually. This paper will provide an account of the distinct experiences of Pakistani and Bangladeshi young people and their parents. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 23 Pakistani and Bangladeshi FE students aged 16-18 years and 20 Pakistani and Bangladeshi parents with children in FE. The data is being analysed using thematic analysis and preliminary findings indicate that several factors influence the decision to attend HE, including cultural values dictating gender roles, parental experiences in the labour market and religious ideologies.