For students today, the most disturbing headline was the recent news that our course fees will be facing a large jump from the fee we pay now.
The current rate, which is over £3,000 per year for many students, could be making a huge £2,000 increase, bringing the average cost of a year at university (with the added £3,000 accommodation fee) to a staggering £8,000 a year, and a total £24,000 for the average 3 year course.
That’s not even including additional expenses, such as bus fees, food costs and of course, the 4 or 5 £40+ books a term that every student has to buy for their course. I for one struggle to keep buying my recommended texts and keep out of my overdraft at the same time, and many of my friends have completely used their overdrafts and have nowhere to turn to get the money they need to continue their education. Where on earth are we expected to get this money from?
Many will argue that grants are in place to help those from underprivileged backgrounds. But the grant system doesn’t work. It is based purely on the income of the student’s parents, but not the amount of money they actually receive. Based on my parents income I am entitled to no grants, however I do not receive any funding from my parents towards my education – going to university was my own choice and so I fund it alone by taking out the full maintenance loan. However, this loan doesn’t even cover my accommodation, so my only option was to work along side my course, with the possibility of effecting my studies, or take out a higher interest loan to over the costs.
In this Guardian article, the UUK claims that the huge £2,000 rise ‘would not deter students’. I’d love to see the figures of just how many students they interviewed, and from which universities they were from. In the current economic climate students are already struggling to pay for their education and have the added stress of job uncertainty after they graduate. How anyone can say that no student in the whole of the country would not be deterred from university by this huge increase is completely ridiculous.
An even scarier Independent article claimed that fees must rise to £7,000 in order to keep high quality teaching. To put this into perspective, this could cost a medical student (with their 5 years of studying) £50,000 to complete their studies, again not including additional expenses. The higher paid jobs like those in medicine may soon return to being only in reach of the rich students, who can rely on mummy and daddy to foot the bill.
The people making these decisions have no idea of the impact they will cause. They enjoyed a free university education and the students in Gordon Browns Scottish constituency and the rest of Scotland still enjoy this free education, funded by the English tax payer.
Finally, lets remember that universities are hardly a drain on the government – Leeds University boosted a £422 million turnover in 2006/7.
Any students reading please give your views and opinions, and those that agree with what I’ve written here, visit the NUS website to see how you can try and stop the fee increase.
I know a lot, if not all Leeds Met courses currently pay only £2000. So what’s the situation going to be for them? Are their course fees going up to £5000, or doubling to £4000?
Or are they going to do it as a percentage, so that their fee’s go up 66% per year too?
Either way, its ridiculous!
Leeds Met fees are going up next year, this seems definite due to the vice-chancellors departure. We’re all just worrying by how much, whether it will jump to the £3,000+ that most students pay or if Leeds Met will try and stick to making sure it’s fees are the cheapest in the country. Another worry is that from the rumours it seems this will be affecting current students as well as new students.
I tried for universities for entry this year and failed to be taken by my four top choices and I am glad!
Of course I will be re-evaluating my decision to study at Uni!
Whats the point now of studying, really, I as you what is the point. I’d rather work full time where I am now and continue earning 7 pounds an hour than work my bum off for 3 years and end up having to repay 24 grand plus interest. 24’000 pounds people. Of course I’m not going to go to University- I can’t afford that! It seems to me the the government is trying to recreate very clear boundries of class!
Thank you for writting this article Clare.
I fully agree with your comments. I am in the same situation as you and am really starting to notice the difficulties this year. (2nd yr Public Relations student at the University of Gloucestershire).
I worked a lot of hours last year (24hrs per week) on top of being a full time student.
Now, in my second year, I am on a 6hr contract, finding it impossible to get more hrs.
The grants system is rediculous. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is successful when it helps out those from underprivaleged backgrounds, but the system, and those who put it in place, really shouldn’t assume that the individuals of those parents who earn over the threshold are getting pocket money.
Fair play to them; my peers who have £3000 in unpayable money given to them a term, have enjoyed blowing it on cigarettes, alcohol and junk food.
All is not bad. The low interest loans, repayable when a graduate is earning over £15,000 p/a is a bright idea.
I do not regret going after a higher education, enjoying the Uni experience and personal development, after all I would struggle without it in the already sparce job market.
I just wonder what my shiny gold bank balance would be worth to me against a non graduate climb on the career ladder. . .
FANTASTIC!
[...] tutor, Richard Bailey. The article goes into more depth about the rise in student fees then my previous article, arguing the story from both sides and comparing our rates and teaching quality with that of [...]