UNIVERSITY
TUITION FEES | Tuition fees in the news February
23rd, 2012
The tuition paradox: You pay more money, you get less choice More
students paying more money to study fewer subjects – that is the picture of higher
education in Britain painted by research published today, which shows a dramatic
reduction in the number of degree courses. A survey by lecturers' leaders shows
that more than one in four degree courses has been scrapped since 2006 – the year
that top-up fees were introduced in English universities. Languages, science,
and arts and humanities subjects are among those which have been axed. (The
Independent) read
more >>> February
23rd, 2012
Universities cut number of degree courses by 27% The
number of degree courses on offer at British universities has been slashed by
more than a quarter in the past six years, new research suggests. It reveals that
there are almost 20,000 fewer full-time undergraduate courses available now than
there were in 2006. The study, by the University and College Union (UCU) found
cuts across a range of subjects, from the sciences, to arts and humanities. (The
Guardian) read
more >>> February
20th, 2012
Cable questioned over appointment of Les Ebdon as university access tsar Business
secretary Vince Cable summoned to Commons to answer urgent question as Ebdon's
appointment is confirmed. (The Guardian) read
more >>> February
20th, 2012
Vince
Cable defies Tories to appoint Professor Les Ebdon as university access tsar Vince
Cable has defied senior Conservative Party critics to appoint a controversial
professor as the new university access watchdog. Prof Les Ebdon will take up the
key role as director of the Office for Fair Access later this year, charged with
ensuring that working-class students are not deterred by tuition fees of up to
£9,000, the Business Secretary announced. Leading Tories, including Michael Gove,
the Education Secretary, were said to be unhappy at Prof Ebdon’s appointment after
he threatened universities with “nuclear” penalties if they missed targets for
widening their student intake. (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> February
19th, 2012
University
admissions reform is 'direct assault' on academic quality say Tories In
an escalation of the Coalition row over admissions, a group of senior Conservatives
says Liberal Democrat-driven plans to make universities take account of applicants
backgrounds are tantamount to “social engineering”. The MPs demand a major overhaul
of the admissions rules, including the abolition of the UCAS points system used
to score the value of A-Levels and other qualifications. They also call for changes
in the way state schools prepare children for university applications, and suggest
a new system for using taxpayers’ money to send the brightest children from poor
homes to independent schools. (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> February
15th, 2012
Graduates
WILL be allowed to pay off tuition fees early after Lib Dem climbdown University
graduates will be able to pay off their tuition fees early without swingeing penalties
after the Tories won a crunch coalition battle with the Lib Dems. In future, those
leaving university will be spared mortgage-style interest redemption payments
of up to £12,000 if they repay their loans immediately. The Lib Dems had sought
to impose early repayment fines but Tories complained that would unfairly discriminate
against middle-class students who work hard and get good jobs. David Cameron is
also keen not to prevent businesses from seeking to recruit talented graduates
by offering to pay off their tuition fees when they take a job. (Daily Mail) read
more >>> February
5th, 2012
Cambridge
universities see application numbers rise Cambridge
is bucking the trend, with the number of applicants applying to Anglia Ruskin
University rising by 11.3 per cent and Cambridge University by 2 per cent. This
compares with the number of university applicants in England for the 2012-13 academic
year dropping by 9.9 per cent - a fall accredited to students having to pay tuition
fees of up to £9,000 a year, almost three times the amount those beginning university
during the current 2011-12 academic year pay. (Cambridge First) read
more >>> January
31st, 2012
Applications
to Scottish universities show tuition fee divide Scottish
universities have seen a dip in the number of applicants from England and Northern
Ireland, but a rise in applicants from other EU countries, who, like their Scottish
counterparts, will not be charged tuition fees. Figures from Ucas show the total
number of university applications from Scotland is down by 1.5%, the lowest figure
of any part of the UK. The number of Scottish students hoping to study in Scotland
is down by just 1.1%. Ministers and student leaders say the statistics are an
endorsement of the Scottish government's stance on student funding. (The Guardian) read
more >>> January
30th, 2012
The
tuition fee effect, revealed The
coalition’s tuition fee rise will put young people from poor backgrounds off applying
to university — or so we were told by Labour and the National Union of Students.
But now we can actually put that claim to the test. UCAS today revealed how many
of that first year group to be affected by the rise have applied to university.
So what does those number tell us? Looking at the headlines resulting from the
release, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Team Miliband have been vindicated.
‘University applications plunge 9% after tuition fees are trebled,’ proclaims
the Daily Mail. ‘Thousands give up on university because of tuition fees,’ says
the Telegraph. And the BBC: ‘UK university applications down as fees rise’. But
a closer look at the numbers reveals a different picture entirely. (The Spectator) read
more >>> January
23rd, 2012
Brookes
sees applications rise Oxford
Brookes University has seen a surge in applicants for next year – despite asking
for £9,000 a year in tuition fees. There have been about 22,300 applications for
cour-ses at Brookes starting in September 2012, a rise of 4.5 per cent. UK student
applications to Brookes rose three per cent and applications from overseas by
30 per cent. National figures following the January 15 deadline have not yet been
released, but by December 19, admissions service UCAS reported a 6.4 per cent
drop in applicants compared to the same time the previous year. (Bicester Advertiser) read
more >>> January
20th, 2012
UK:
Uni fees create tax time bomb British
taxpayers face an annual bill of about £9 billion ($13.3bn) from unpaid student
debts, according to research that will cast doubt on the sustainability of the
political deal on university tuition fees. According to the analysis by Skandia,
the investment managers, only graduates who go on to earn average salaries of
more than £60,000 will make enough to pay back their loans in full once interest
is added. Under the new fee system, debts still owed to the state after 30 years
are written off. In the coalition deal to gain Liberal Democrat support for raising
fees to a maximum of £9,000, a range of concessions was made to ensure graduates
who went into lower-paid jobs had to pay back less than the highest earners. Skandia
estimates £8.7 billion a year at today’s prices will have to be written off, more
than £2 billion above what the government is spending on universities this year.
(The Australian) read
more >>> January
4th, 2012
University
applications 'drop by 23,000' after fees hike Just
weeks before the applications deadline for most courses, it emerged that demand
is down by almost eight per cent compared with the same point a year earlier.
Among the oldest students, applications are down by more than 14 per cent. Data
from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service also shows a sharp drop
in demand from candidates from mainland Europe who pay the same fees as their
British counterparts. Today, Labour claimed that students were being put off by
the threat of huge debts. But Ucas insisted that figures showed a “late surge”
in applications as many students take more time over decisions. (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> January
1st, 2012
Exam
results dip as students swap degree work for demos Undergraduates
at King’s College, Cambridge, have been so busy demonstrating against the rise
in tuition fees and university funding cuts that they neglected their studies,
according to the college’s Provost. As a result, the institution has seen its
proportion of first class degrees fall and has nosedived down the college league
table rankings from 14th to 20th out of 29. Professor Ross Harrison blamed the
drop on the “special duty” that students had felt to resist the coalition’s “assault”
on universities. As a result, he said, they had “flung themselves” into resistance,
neglecting their studies. (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> December
28th, 2011
City's
university chiefs cut fees University
chiefs in Chester have reduced tuition fees only weeks before the deadline for
applications is due. The cost for undergraduates attending the University of Chester
has been lowered to £8,000 per year, down from the £9,000 first proposed in April.
Chester joins 24 other institutions across the country who have agreed to lower
their fees in return for a guarantee they will be able to take on extra students.
The plans were approved by the Office for Fair Access only weeks before the application
deadline for 2012, meaning hundreds of people who have applied for places at Chester
could find their fees have changed. (Chester Standard) read
more >>> December
22nd, 2011
The
cost of student fees is still guesswork - says Education Minister Leighton Andrews The
Welsh Government’s radical tuition fee policy requires an element of guesswork
and nobody really knows how much it will cost, Education Minister Leighton Andrews
has revealed. The Rhondda AM said calculations were “really difficult” to make
and he is certain Welsh Labour’s tuition fee forecasts will be wrong. In an interview
with WalesOnline, Mr Andrews bared all about his party’s commitment to protecting
Welsh students from a trebling of university fees. (WalesOnline) read
more >>> December
20th, 2011
Fee
decision for Channel Islands university students University
students from the Channel Islands will be charged the same as English students,
the islands' States have announced. Changes in the UK mean universities are free
to charge tuition fees of up to £9,000 a year from September 2012. However, it
had not been clear what the impact of these changes would be on students from
the islands. The change in fees will not affect those already studying whose fees
are due to rise by less than inflation. (BBC) read
more >>> December
10th, 2011
UK
uni gets injunction against protests The
UK's University of Birmingham has obtained a high court injunction barring occupation-style
protests on its campus for the next 12 months. After a number of t occupations
and protests against rising tuition fees, University of Birmingham lawyers went
to the high court and won an order banning any "occupational protest action" without
permission. "The defendants shall not, without the prior written consent of the
claimant, [Birmingham University] enter or remain upon land comprising the claimant's
campus and buildings at the University of Birmingham ... for the purpose of any
occupational protest action," states the court order. (Press TV) read
more >>> December
9th, 2011
Busting
myths on students’ finances More
than 300 students, parents, teachers and careers advisors came together on Monday
night to learn more about university life and student finances. The event, held
at the Corn Exchange, was held by the University of Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough
Council. Year 13 students from across the borough heard from speakers including
university vice-chancellor Les Ebdon and a spokesman from Student Finance England,
and were able to quiz current students about university life at a question-and-answer
session? (Luton Today) read
more >>> December
7th, 2011
With
tuition fees rocketing, what are universities doing about access? Fair
access to university is a hot topic. With the changes to tuition fees and the
axing of AimHigher, universities are more responsible than ever before for ensuring
that students from poorer backgrounds are represented in their intakes. University
budgets for outreach and access work will be massively increased under the new
agreements with OFFA: the University of Oxford, for example, is allocating over
£2.5 million extra funding to access measures and student financial support. So
what are universities planning on doing with this money, and, more importantly,
does it actually work? (The Independent) read
more >>> December
2nd, 2011
University
tuition fees: fifth of English institutions cut course charges A
fifth of universities in England have made last-minute cuts to the tuition fees
they will charge students starting degrees next autumn, triggering potential chaos
for hundreds of thousands of applicants. The Office for Fair Access (Offa), the
government's higher education access watchdog, said 24 universities and one further
education college had reduced the fees they intended to charge. (The Guardian) read
more >>> November
28th, 2011
Universities
see 20,000 fewer applications as tuition fees put off students With
fees set to treble to a maximum of £9,000 in 2012, applications from UK students
alone are down by 15.1 per cent, according to statistics published by Ucas. But
while fewer UK students are applying to university, the number of applicants from
overseas, outside of the EU, has risen by 11.8 per cent, the data shows. In total,
23,427 fewer people have applied to start degree courses at UK universities next
autumn than at the same point last year. Ucas insisted that it was too early to
make predictions about the demand for higher education next year. (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> November
16th, 2011
University
of Ulster to charge students in Britain £6k a year Students
in Britain will pay tuition fees of £6,000 a year to attend the University of
Ulster. The flat fee will come into effect in September for students from England,
Scotland and Wales. There will be no bursaries or scholarships available. Those
from Northern Ireland and other countries in the EU will pay £3,500 a year to
attend. Ulster Unionist MLA Basil Mc Crea — who in October criticised Queen’s
University’s plans to charge £9,000 a year — said he welcomed the university’s
decision to charge less. (Belfast Telegraph) read
more >>> November
7th, 2011
Tuition
fees protest: Rubber bullets 'raise risk' It
is "more likely that trouble will occur" at a protest against tuition fees in
London on Wednesday now police have made rubber bullets available to officers,
a rally organiser has said. Scotland Yard had been "completely irresponsible"
by "ramping up the pressure" on people to stay away from the event, added Michael
Chessum. The activists are due to march from Bloomsbury to the Barbican. Police
insisted baton rounds would only be used "in extreme circumstances". (BBC) read
more >>> November
7th, 2011
Tuition
fees: 27 universities seek last-minute changes More
than a fifth of England's universities have applied to change their fee packages,
just weeks before the application deadline. The Office for Fair Access said 27
of England's universities had sought to lower fees to make use of new measures
that could allow them to expand. Universities blame the late announcement of these
measures by the government. Ministers say changes should not disadvantage any
student. But the National Unions of Students said tens of thousands of students
now faced weeks of uncertainty because of the changes. (BBC) read
more >>> November
1st, 2011
Teenagers
begin high court challenge against tuition fee rise Two
teenagers have begun a case in the high court against the government's decision
to let universities almost treble tuition fees next year. Callum Hurley and Katy
Moore, both 17, argue that the decision to raise fees to up to £9,000 a year from
next autumn contravenes human rights and equality legislation. Their case is expected
to last two days and has been paid for through legal aid and pro bono work. (The
Guardian) read
more >>> October
27th, 2011
Is
a EU-turn for Tuition Fees on the Cards for the Welsh Government? Education
is a devolved issue in Wales, which is why the Welsh Government is perfectly entitled
to take its own view on the levels that Welsh students pay in tuition fees when
they go to university. However, following a recent article in the Sunday Times
I wrote to the Education Minister requesting clarity over an EU funding loophole
that could see 1000s of EU students having their fees paid by the Welsh Government
- wherever they study in the UK. As things stand, EU laws preclude member states
from discriminating against EU subjects, which already means that non-UK EU students
choosing to study in Wales are entitled to receive the same financial support
from the Welsh Government that is on offer to Welsh students in Wales. (Huffington
Post) read
more >>> October
25th, 2011
Council
pays tuition fees in bid to help poorer students get a degree A
London council is paying the university tuition fees of some of its poorest students
in what is the first scheme of its kind in the country. Six school-leavers have
been awarded scholarships worth more than £10,000 each over three years by Southwark
council. They are the first people in the country to have their university tuition
fees paid for by their local council. The money will come from the council's £3million
Southwark Youth Fund. It will also be used to pay for an allowance to those who
lost out when the educational maintenance allowance was scrapped. Only students
whose parents earn less than £21,000 were considered for the tuition fee scholarship.
The first sixth-formers were chosen because of their academic achievement and
contribution to the community. (Evening Standard) read
more >>> October
25th, 2011
Big
drop in women's applications after university tuition fees increase The
full picture of the changing university scene after a record 11.9 per cent drop
in UK university applications for next year became clear last night. Figures from
the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service showed the drop in women candidates
was almost twice as high as among men. In addition, the overall picture showed
it was courses in the creative arts and public services, such as education and
nursing, which were suffering the biggest drop in numbers. (The Independent) read
more >>> October
24th, 2011
If
apprenticeships are so good they can't only be for the poor New
higher education admission figures play to the right's favoured option of early
vocational training for non-academic children. (The Guardian) read
more >>> October
24th, 2011
UK
university applicants drop by 12% before tuition fee rise Ucas
reveals 52,321 UK-born students have applied for university next year, when fees
will rise to up to £9,000 a year. The number of UK-born university applicants
for next September – when fees rise to up to £9,000 a year – has plummeted by
almost 12%, official figures show. The first set of statistics on applications
to university next year, published by the Universities and Colleges and Admissions
Service (Ucas), reveal that 52,321 applicants have applied from within the UK,
compared with 59,413 this time last year. Union leaders said the figures were
proof that ministers' decision to almost treble fees had been "a disaster", while
charities expressed concern that students from low-income homes may have been
deterred from applying. (The Guardian) read
more >>> October
20th, 2011
Tuition
fees at up to 28 universities could be lowered As
many as 28 universities in England are considering lowering the fees they have
said they will charge from next year. The news comes as hundreds of thousands
of teenagers are preparing to apply for university. Universities set their fee
and bursary levels in April but in July the government announced further changes.
Fees will rise up to a limit of £9,000 next year but the changes mean some universities
might want to charge less. In England, fees will rise up to a maximum of £9,000.
Fees in Wales and Scotland are also rising up to that maximum level - but only
for students from other parts of the UK. Scottish students studying in Scotland
will pay no fees and Welsh students will be subsidised wherever they study in
the UK. (BBC) read
more >>> October
17th, 2011
No
frills university college offers half price degrees A
"no-frills" university college offering teaching seven days a week and degrees
for around half the price of traditional universities will start recruiting students
next week. Coventry University College will focus on professional courses including
accounting, law and marketing, at a maximum cost of £4,800 for a full-time degree
student. (The Guardian) read
more >>> October
12th, 2011
Warning
cast over 'tax-free’ university fees HM
Revenue & Customs has warned family businesses to think twice about using employee
scholarships to put their children through university at the taxman’s expense.
The long-standing scheme, designed to encourage large companies to support employees’
study, is being promoted to family-owned companies by some accountancy firms ahead
of next year’s steep rise in tuition fees. Steven Crookes, from Knowles Warwick
in Sheffield, has sent out information highlighting how employee students can
receive up to £15,480 a year tax-free. “Depending on circumstances, it may be
possible to employ your child and pay this amount without incurring a tax liability,”
he added. Interest in the relief also provoked debate among practitioners about
what HMRC will and will not allow. (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> October
6th, 2011
Higher
living costs loom north of the border for students from rest of UK Four-year
courses at universities in Scotland will incur additional expense. David Matthews
reports The average cost of studying for a degree in Scotland for those from the
rest of the UK will be higher than in England, but the tuition fee per year will
be lower. The average bill for a four-year Scottish course will be £27,561, £2,000
more than for a three-year English course - and students will also be faced with
an extra year of living costs. The figure, calculated by Times Higher Education,
contradicts the prediction by Michael Russell, the Scottish education secretary,
that studying in Scotland would be a "slightly cheaper option" for students from
the rest of the UK. (Times Higher Education) read
more >>> October
5th, 2011
Universities
at sea over fee changes The
principal of one of Scotland's most prestigious universities has conceded he has
no idea how the introduction of £9,000 tuition fees will affect student numbers.
Edinburgh University is one of only a small number of Scottish institutions that
will charge students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales £9,000 a year, meaning
that its four-year degrees will be the most expensive in the UK. (Scotsman) read
more >>> October
3rd, 2011
English
student may sue NI Executive over tuition fees AAn
English teenager is considering suing the NI Executive, claiming that its plan
to charge him higher tuition fees would breach his human rights. Fees for students
from Northern Ireland are to be frozen at £3,500 but students from elsewhere in
the UK will be charged up to £9,000 from next year. Abel Middlebrough has won
a place at Queen's University in Belfast which he has deferred until 2012. The
executive told the Sunday Times its legal position was "robust". (BBC) read
more >>> October
3rd, 2011
Scots
universities set fee rates All
Scottish universities have set tuition fees for students from other parts of the
UK, with some charging £36,000 for a four-year degree. Students resident in Scotland
will not pay, but SNP ministers decided to bring in charges to protect places.
The decision to allow English universities to charge up to £9,000 for tuition
sparked concern over "fee refugees" heading to Scotland. A number of Scots universities
will cap fees at the English level of £27,000. Fees will apply to English, Northern
Irish and Welsh students from 2012-13, although the rates will not become official
until the outcome of a Scottish government consultation and new legislation is
brought in. (BBC) read
more >>> September
30th, 2011
Demand
for top university places 'may be higher' Universities
are getting the first evidence of how the hike in university tuition fees is likely
to affect student numbers and it is not quite what they were expecting. "What
we have seen is that the numbers of students attending pre-application open days
is significantly up on what it has been in previous years," said Professor Paul
White, pro-vice-chancellor at Sheffield University. (BBC) read
more >>> September
29th, 2011
Edinburgh
Napier university sets fees at £26,000 Edinburgh
Napier University has fixed fees of up to £26,000 for students from the rest of
the UK (RUK). Annual fees were set at £6,500 for all full-time undergraduate courses.
Each student will be charged proportionately to the amount of tuition he or she
receives, a structure the university described as "straightforward". The university
has experienced an 80% rise in undergraduate applications over the last two years.
The new fees will mean students paying a total of £26,000 for a four-year degree.
A new bursary scheme, exclusively for students from outside Scotland, will be
launched from 2012/13. (BBC) read
more >>> September
29th, 2011
Labour's
plan to cap tuition fees may be a 'graduate tax' Top
earners would 'overpay' under scheme vaunted at party's annual conference. The
Labour Party's proposal for a tuition-fee cap of £6,000 could be classed as a
tax if implemented because it would force some graduates to "overpay" on student
loans. The crucial detail of the policy emerged after Labour leader Ed Miliband
marked the start of his party's conference in Liverpool by trumpeting the plan
to cut the coalition government's cap of £9,000 by a third, if Labour were in
power now. Keen to demonstrate the party's economic competence, the policy was
pitched as being "fully costed" - it would be funded through a reversal of a corporation
tax cut for the banks and by charging better-off graduates more interest on student
loans. (Times Higher Education) read
more >>> September
28th, 2011
University
of the West of Scotland sets its RUK fees The
University of the West of Scotland has announced fees up to £29,000 for students
from the rest of the UK (RUK). Students will pay an annual fee of £7,250 throughout
three and four-year degree courses. The UWS said there was no cap on the fee level
as it anticipated the majority of students would be able to achieve a degree within
three years. Student leaders said the fees for students from England, Northern
Ireland and Wales were "truly astounding". They expressed surprise that fees had
not been capped at below £27,000, the maximum possible in England where degrees
are taken over three years. (BBC) read
more >>> September
27th, 2011
Liverpool
student attacks Labour’s university tuition fees plan A
Liverpool student attacked Labour’s plan for £6,000 annual university fees with
party leader Ed Miliband sat just yards away. Red-haired Rhiannon Lowton tore
into the policy, which was announced just one day earlier, from the conference
platform, arguing it undermined Labour’s appeal to young people. Mr Miliband,
who was sat behind her, looked stunned to hear such strong criticism of a plan
he hoped would allow Labour to capitalise on lingering anger about higher fees.
(Liverpool Daily Post) read
more >>> September
27th, 2011
University
of Strathclyde sets RUK fees at £27,000 The
University of Strathclyde has set its tuition fees for students from the rest
of the UK (RUK). Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be charged
£9,000 per year to take courses at the Glasgow-based university from 2012. However,
it will cap the total cost of four-year degree courses at £27,000. Student leaders
said that setting the fees at the highest level possible proved the university
was "motivated purely by profit". (BBC) read
more >>> September
26th, 2011
Angry
students attempt to disrupt Princess Royal speech Students
attempted to disrupt a speech by the Princess Royal today in a protest over university
tuition fees. The Princess was met with chants of “if you can afford a Princess,
you can afford my degree” as she attempted to address staff and students at Edinburgh
University. It came after the university announced fees of £9,000 a year for UK
students from outside Scotland – in a move that will cost undergraduates £36,000
for a four-year degree. The Princess was attempting to make her first speech as
chancellor of the institution when around 30 students campaigning under the banner
Party Against Privilege staged a protest." (Telegraph.co.uk) read
more >>> September
24th, 2011
Labour
would cut top university fees to £6,000, says Ed Miliband The
maximum university fee for students will be slashed by a third to £6,000 a year
under a Labour government, Ed Miliband has announced. The policy, revealed by
the Labour leader in an interview with the Observer, would be paid for by reversing
planned tax cuts for the banks and by asking the highest-earning graduates to
pay more interest on their loans. The move – one of the biggest policy decisions
by Miliband in his first year as leader – is designed to appeal to millions of
student voters who turned to the Lib Dems at the last election, and to parents
worried about the financial burdens of sending their children to university."
(The Guardian) read
more >>> September
24th, 2011
Robert
Gordon first Scottish university to set varying scale of tuition fees Students
at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen will pay varying amounts for their degrees
after the institution became the first in Scotland to set out a multi-tiered approach
to tuition fees. The university said students from England, Wales and Northern
Ireland will pay £5,000 a year for business, management and social science courses,
while courses in subjects such as engineering, architecture and science will cost
£6,750. RGU became the latest Scottish university to set out its fees for RUK
(rest of UK) students for next year. Other institutions, including Edinburgh and
St Andrews, are set to charge £36,000 for a four-year degree." (Scotsman) read
more >>> September
23rd, 2011
Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland sets fees at £27,000 The
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has set its tuition fees for students from outside
of Scotland at £27,000. The board of governors agreed that annual undergraduate
fees be set at £9,000 for non-Scottish students. Students from the rest of the
UK (RUK) wishing to study there will pay a comparable amount to those attending
a similar institute in England. Fees match charges in England, offering three
and four year undergraduate degree courses in music and dance. The proposed fee
was said to reflect the exceptionally high cost of programme delivery in Conservatoires,
which substantially exceeds the £9,000 fee." (BBC) read
more >>> September
21st, 2011
Muslim
students face finance dilemma over tuition fees Bushrat
Almari is from Bradford and is studying for a pharmacy degree at Bradford University.
Like many Asian students in further education she lives with her family and is
fortunate that her father can manage to pay the annual £3,000 tuition fees. But
that will change next year when they go up to £9,000, meaning that her sister
will be prevented from getting a degree. As practising Muslims they cannot take
out a student loan as it has to be paid back with interest, which Bushrat says
is forbidden." (BBC) read
more >>> September
21st, 2011
Clegg:
‘Breaking promise on fees was heart wrenching’ Deputy
prime minister Nick Clegg has described the coalition government’s decision to
increase university tuition fees – which went against pledges he made before the
election – as “heart wrenching” in his speech to the Liberal Democrat conference.
The Lib Dem leader said the move had been “by far the most painful” part of moving
from opposition to government but insisted that the party had done “the best thing
we could” given the “simple truth” was that both Labour and Conservatives were
set on raising fees." (Times Higher Education) read
more >>> September
21st, 2011
Scrap
tuition fees, says party president as he refuses to toe line Tim
Farron, the Liberal Democrat president, called for the Coalition's controversial
plans to bring in university tuition fees to be torn up. His comments will dismay
Nick Clegg, who has insisted that the party, which suffered huge political damage
over the scheme, attempts to "sell" the proposals to the public. Mr Farron told
a Channel 4 fringe meeting that the move to introduce fees of up to £9,000 a year
for students, was "still a black cloud" over the party. He said: "If we had the
chance, it should certainly go. We should go some way to undoing it and replacing
it with something fairer." (The Independent) read
more >>> September
18th, 2011
Sit-in
students warn of more action over fees Student
leaders at Edinburgh University warned of a "rolling programme" of 36-hour occupations
at universities across the country in protest at the decision to charge undergraduates
from elsewhere in the UK £36,000 for a degree. Around 100 students were due to
end the first 36-hour protest at the university's George Square lecture theatre
at midnight last night. (Scotland on Sunday) read
more >>> September
16th, 2011
Students
occupy against 36k fees Students
from universities across Scotland are staging an occupation of an Edinburgh University
lecture theatre in protest against significant increases in fees for ‘Rest of
UK’ students. Scottish university students, from Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews
occupied the George Square Lecture Theatre at 1pm today (Friday 16th Sep) and
will remain in occupation until they have entered into constructive dialogue with
decision-making bodies. (Bright Green Scotland) read
more >>> September
14th, 2011
Tuition
fees plan is unlawful, solicitor claims UA
solicitor involved in a tuition fees challenge in England and Wales has warned
that attempts to charge students from the rest of the UK more than their local
counterparts is in breach of Northern Ireland and European law. Earlier this week
Universities Minister Stephen Farry announced that students from England, Scotland
and Wales could be charged up to £9,000 to study at Northern Ireland universities.
But the move, which means that they would pay £5,535 more in tuition fees than
local students, has led to warnings that the Executive could be leaving itself
open to legal challenges from students. The Scottish Executive already faces a
court battle over claims its fees policy is discriminatory. (Belfast Telegraph) read
more >>> September
14th, 2011
Fury
over RUK fees as Edinburgh, St Andrews announce £36k degree cost Universities
forced to defend plans as NUS Scotland president calls £36,000 fees "outrageous".
The debate over Rest-of-UK tuition fees at Scottish universities has intensified
after two Scottish universities announced plans that would make them the most
expensive places to study in the UK. The Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews
last week announced plans to charge undergraduate students £36,000 in tuition
fees for a four-year undergraduate degree. From September 2012, the two Russell
Group institutions will charge £9,000 per year in fees for students coming from
England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish students will continue to study
for free. (The Edinburgh Journal) read
more >>> September
14th, 2011
Art
School criticised for plan to introduce £9,000-a-year fees Student
leaders have criticised Glasgow School of Art after it became the latest institution
to announce it would charge undergraduates from England, Wales and Northern Ireland
£9,000 a year for their degree. The prestigious art school, whose alumni include
the likes of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, John Byrne and Alasdair Gray, joined Aberdeen
University and Heriot-Watt in saying no student would pay more than £27,000 for
a four-year course. However, students from the rest of the UK who want to study
architecture will pay a total of £45,450 for the six-year course. (Scotsman) read
more >>> September
13th, 2011
OECD
warns over tuition fees hike UK
students are funding more of the cost of their university education themselves
than in most other developed countries, a report suggests. Only in Chile, South
Korea and Japan do students pay a bigger share of their tuition costs than in
the UK, it adds. At 65.5%, UK students pay more than double the average for developed
countries, says an OECD report. (BBC) read
more >>> September
13th, 2011
Abertay
University likely to settle on £7,000-a-year tuition fees for rest-of-UK students Abertay
University is preparing to impose tuition fees of about £7,000 a year on its 400
students from the rest of the UK. The plan, which is close to being finalised,
was revealed on Monday by acting principal Nicholas Terry. He said the Bell Street
establishment would not be following the example of St Andrews and Edinburgh,
which set fees at the top rate of £9,000 a year up to a maximum of £36,000 for
a four-year course. (Scotland Courier) read
more >>> September
13th, 2011
SNP
accused of university elitism The
Scottish Government has been accused of fostering "elitism" in the country's universities
by "relying on market forces" to set tuition fees. A number of Scottish institutions
have announced fees of £9,000 a year, with Edinburgh and St Andrews universities
set to charge English, Welsh and Northern Irish students £36,000 for a degree.
(Scotsman) read
more >>> September
12th, 2011
Competition
for places at Scottish universities will be fierce in 2012 Could
Scottish students lose out as university places are offered to English school-leavers
with lower A-level grades? Adam Smith, Charles Darwin, a couple of signatories
of the American Declaration of Independence and Gordon Brown all graduated from
Scotland's premier university – Edinburgh. A degree from the ancient institution
– recently ranked 20th in the QS world rankings, above Berkeley, California, and
the London School of Economics – is the gold standard of Scottish education. But
some fear that next year the creme de la creme of Scottish schools could miss
out on places, turned away in favour of students prepared to pay English gold.
(The Guardian) read
more >>> September
12th, 2011
GB
students charged more to cover NI fees shortfall NI's
universities and colleges will be allowed to charge English, Scottish and Welsh
students more to cover the shortfall of freezing local fees. It is hoped the move
will help plug a £22m funding gap in the Department of Employment and Learning's
budget. Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry also said NI students opting
to study in the rest of the UK will be helped with their fees. They will be entitled
to a loan of up to £9,000 to cover fees. (BBC) read
more >>> September
11th, 2011
Russell
rules out fees for Scottish students Resident
students will not face tuition fees for university degree courses in Scotland,
Education Secretary Mike Russell has pledged. Students from other parts of the
UK who choose to study in Scotland now face fees of £9,000 a year at Scottish
universities, including St Andrews and Edinburgh. The total £36,000 bill for the
traditional four-year courses will be the highest in the UK. (Scotland on Sunday) read
more >>> September
10th, 2011
Student
anger as £36,000 degree comes to St Andrews St
Andrews University is to join Edinburgh in charging students from England, Wales
and Northern Ireland £36,000 for a degree. It has revealed it will charge £9,000
a year for its four-year courses, placing it alongside Edinburgh in offering the
UK's most expensive degree courses. Scottish students and those from elsewhere
in the EU will continue to be exempt from tuition fees. (Scotsman) read
more >>> September
8th, 2011
NI tuition fees are frozen Tuition
fees for Northern Ireland students wanting to attend local universities will be
frozen at current levels, it has been announced. Minister for Employment and Learning
Stephen Farry said fees would be kept at £3,500 per year and would be subject
only to a rise in inflation. Dr Farry said he secured funds from the Executive
to address the £40m higher education budget deficit. (U.TV)
read
more >>> September
6th, 2011
Private university's £5,000 tuition fees BPP
University College is to charge £5,000 per year in tuition fees for three-year
courses from 2012. This private university, with its own degree-awarding powers,
will be among the lowest charging, alongside the Open University. There will also
be more intensively taught degree courses, which will cost £12,000 for two years.
(BBC) read
more >>> September
6th, 2011
Edinburgh University Criticised For Charging Top Tuition Fees Edinburgh
University has come under fire after announcing it would charge up to £36,000
for a degree to non-Scottish students in the UK. The university made headlines
by becoming the most expensive university to study at in the UK, despite not making
the top 10 in the 2012 university league tables. (Huffington Post)
read
more >>> September
5th, 2011
World university rankings show that good higher education
can be a bargain The
world university league table could spark ideas among UK students of applying
abroad to highly ranked universities that charge low – or no – fees. (The Guardian)
read
more >>> September
5th, 2011
How students are being charged £9,000 tuition fees for courses
that really cost just £6,000 to run Top
universities charging £9,000 in tuition fees next year will milk students for
up to 50 per cent more than the actual cost of their courses, it has emerged.
Analysis of leading research-based universities shows the cost of some teaching
courses is well below £6,000 per year, meaning students will be paying thousands
extra every year. (Daily Mail)
read
more >>> | 
