Postgrad study analysis published - graduate jobs

Students who went to private schools are more likely to go on to take postgraduate courses than students who went to state schools, a new survey has found.

In the survey conducted by the London School of Economics, it was found that in 2008, independently educated graduates were 2% more likely to take a postgraduate course six months after completing their undergraduate studies.

In 2002, they were no more likely than state-educated students to go on to postgraduate study.

The analysis examined thousands of students who otherwise had like-for-like educational qualifications.

The study, which was carried out for the Sutton Trust, concluded that the result of universities' undergraduate intake of students from poorer backgrounds has led to the underrepresentation at postgraduate level.

The research shows that 17% of postgraduate students were educated independently. At undergraduate level the figure is 14%, while 7% of school pupils go to independent schools.