Mature students can be understood as those who are age 21 or over when they begin higher education; however, the term can also refer more broadly to any students who begin higher education at a nonstandard age or who have done so but are now returning. While mature students in general face particular challenges in higher education, women entering higher education as mature students tend to experience such challenges more intensely. This entry provides an overview of mature students in higher education, exploring who they are and considering challenges mature students, particularly women, face.