Data on the parental profession of successful applicants

[goingforeverythingbutpolarisation]

I know that UCAS asks for this data - although I understand you're not compelled to disclose it - and I was curious to know whether there is available data?

E.g. the most common professions of parents linked to successful applicants by:

University (specific unis not just Russel Group v ex-polys etc - i.e. Cambridge, Oxford, Reading - just random names here)
and
Course subject/title

I'd find it fascinating but then I'm a bit of a data/stats freak.

I don't know. It would be quite interesting. May be FOIA request would get it disclosed. May be the info is on the Sutton trust website?

You'd only be able to get it for a very small combination of uni/course/occupation due to the risk that individuals could be identified. So (random example) you may be able to find that 10 (rounded numbers!) parents of Law undergrads at Exeter were teachers, but they wouldn't tell you that 2 parents of Classics students at Bristol were dancers.

thanks both

Surely it would not be as granular as that. Does it really matter if e.g. someone doing biochemistry has a doctor and engineer as parents vs having an accountant and an academic? If the data was released it'll be the more like X% professional, Y% managerial, Z% graduate, W% blue collar, V% unemployed.

As the graduate daughter of a cleaner and an unemployed builders' labourer, may I ask what the value and purpose of this data would be? What are the data fields on the UCAS form or is it free text? Is it linked to parental earnings or educational level or just a snapshot of what that parent is doing at the moment of application? And which parent?

If the data was released it'll be the more like X% professional, Y% managerial, Z% graduate, W% blue collar, V% unemployed. How are these defined?

There is information released by UCAS with statistics on applicants etc, but not parental professions

The link below advises on information available and the data sets / reports are linked near to the bottom of that page

www.ucas.com/about-us/policies/freedom-information/guide-information

Surely it would not be as granular as that. Does it really matter if e.g. someone doing biochemistry has a doctor and engineer as parents vs having an accountant and an academic? If the data was released it'll be the more like X% professional, Y% managerial, Z% graduate, W% blue collar, V% unemployed.

OP was asking about specific professions - hence why I answered about that.

Yes of course if the data requested is less granular it is more likely to satisfy privacy requirements.

The definitions of job category are here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/standardoccupationalclassificationsoc/soc2020/soc2020volume1structureanddescriptionsofunitgroupss*
(Warning - tedious read!)

I do think it would be interesting, UCAS clearly captures this data (albeit I know you don't have to answer the question, if I recall rightly).