Better qualified but a lower acceptance rate: does Higher Education discriminate against women?

Using a sample of around 2.3 million observations on applications to UK Higher Education institutions from 1996-2001, the paper explores whether the selection process into Higher Education is discriminatory. The answer is no discrimination, even though women are better qualified and less likely to be offered an HE place. The lower tier Higher National Diploma sector is a key issue because women are less likely to undertake these courses, which are `male orientated'. The policy conclusion is that to encourage less well-qualified females to undertake Higher Education, more appropriate provision is necessary that recognizes the reality of subject gender segregation.