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A 'mature student' (aka 'adult student') in tertiary education (at a university or a college) is normally classified as an (undergraduate) student who is at least 21 years old (23 years old in Ireland) at the start of their course and usually having been away from school for at least two years. Mature students can also include students away from school for decades or students with no secondary education as situations allow. Mature students also make up graduate and post graduate populations merely by demographic of age.
Mature students are otherwise indistinguishable from younger students in that they study full-time, most-time, part-time, occasional, and at a distance (correspondence, Internet, or other remote means).
For example, most of the students at the Open University in the United Kingdom, where students can study part-time from home, are mature students wishing to gain a degree later in life, perhaps because the opportunity was not available to them when they left school.
The normal entry requirements for school-leavers wishing to start an undergraduate degree are often not applied to mature students. However, this varies by jurisdiction, and prospective students should consult the admissions office for verification on what is and is not required.
A good example of a mature student is the female protagonist, Rita, in Willy Russell's play, ''Educating Rita''. As one of the early Open University students, she seeks to expand her knowledge of literature and the academic world, and in doing so broadens her own horizons and character.
Mature student organizations around the world include:
'Canada'
University of Toronto Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program Toronto, Ontario.
York University - Atkinson Centre for Mature and Part-time Students (Scheduled to open: 01 July 2007) Toronto, Ontario.
York University Mature Students' Organization (YUMSO) - Student peer support & advocacy Toronto, Ontario.