Rise in university fees ‘could put loans on the agenda’
Wednesday 18th March 2009, 2:30PM GMT.
A proposed rise in university fees could see the return of the student loans debate.
Education minister Carol Steere said the possible increases in charges by UK universities would have no immediate impact on Guernsey students – but could bring the issue of higher education funding back to the States.
It was reported that universities in England and Wales want to increase tuition fees by between £4,000 and £20,000 per year.
More than half of the UK’s university heads, interviewed as part of a BBC News survey, said they thought students should pay at least £5,000 per year – or for there to be no upper limit.
If fees were to increase this could have a knock-on effect for Guernsey students – and potentially see a return to the student loans debate.
The previous Assembly voted to introduce loans but it was overturned by States members after a requete in September last year.
Education member Deputy Matt Fallaize brought the requete to the House and left the States committed to maintaining its support for higher education through the existing student grant scheme until 2012, with a review due to be put before the Assembly in 2011.
‘It would be foolish for anyone to go as far as predicting that existing funding arrangements will be maintained for ever, irrespective of the circumstances,’ he said.
‘To an extent it depends on the financial position of the States and the scale of any increase in fees in the UK.’
Deputy Fallaize said there was no reason to be alarmed ‘merely by the results of a BBC survey of vice-chancellors’.
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Deputy Fallaize – Whilst the BBC did conduct a survey it was instigated by the recent release of the Universities UK consultation paper – Changing Landscapes – which is part of an independent Government review to increase student tuition fees in higher education. This is part of the UK Government looking at removing the cap on UK full time student fees and would see UK students forced to pay a market rate for their education. This would obviously vary from location to location and subject to subject depending on supply and demand. Channel Island students are classed as non-EU or international students and there is no cap on our tuition fees, this is why the States are currently paying £9k a year for my tuition fees, instead of the £3k that my UK counterparts pay. Universities UK acknowledges that as international students (that’ll be us) are already paying a fair market rate there is unlikely to be any impact on international tuition fees.
(Student Bob is not an authority on this matter, and the views expressed above are simply my understanding and interpretation of the facts)
So Steere is quite correct, we’ve nothing to worry about. But I fail to see the link to the reconsideration of student loans on the back of this? Could it be just a ploy to get loans introduced and cut some of that education budget?
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I actually believe that the states only can afford to educate people up to 18 with certain caveats.
There should be bursaries available for certain key jobs eg nurses.
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Student bob
Is it possible the fair market rate for International Students is a moveable sum?
A question. Are Guernsey students charged the International rate or do some universities have set Channel island rates. I am not referring to the CI universities in the consortium, but the others.
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SJ – The fair market rate for international students is of course, a market rate! I think the point that the UUK report makes is that as we already pay a fair rate, if the funding scheme changes for UK students, then this will have no impact on the international student. Numbers will remain the same (I believe there are guidelines concerning the percentage intake of international students). But I take your point nevertheless.
Perhaps the anticipated reduction in UK applicants could see more competition in the international student market and a reduction in fees? Who knows… But it’s safe to assume that the cost of education can go up as well as down!
To the best of my knowledge, the only universities that charge CI students differently are the consortium uni’s on the south coast. All others charge us as non-EU students.
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