Increase in UK university tuition fee: All you need to know about this hike and should international students be worried
The move aims to improve the finances of several crisis-hit institutions, allegedly triggered by a curb on visas that has led to a decline in global students.
It was in 2017 when universities in England raised tuition fees, keeping it at 9,250 pounds. Fast-forward to 2024, the government has announced a hike in the cost of tuition to 9,535 pounds (an increase of 285 pounds) for domestic students from April next year in line with inflation. The move is aimed at improving the finances of several crisis-hit institutions, allegedly triggered by a curb on visas by the former Conservative government resulting in the decline of international students.
Education Minister Bridget Phillipson took to X (formerly Twitter) wherein she said, “Universities are facing serious financial risks. For years now, tuition fees haven’t kept pace with rising prices. Without action, we face universities slashing their courses, some institutions being unable to continue providing quality for students. That would be devastating for students, paying for broken promises and fewer choices. Devastating for communities where universities provide good jobs which could be lost.”
“The situation that we have inherited means we have to act. And I will not shy from difficult decisions,” Phillipson added.
Also read: Planning to study in UK? Check these three core scholarship options that all aspirants must know!
The impact on student loan payments
As per a Financial Times report, the recent move will not have a big impact on student loan payments. Quoting the education minister, the report pointed out that student loan repayments are based on a percentage of a graduate’s salary, not the size of their outstanding loan balance.
Also read: Will India or China send more students abroad in 2030 | Report
In other words, while this change would increase the total amount of debt that a student accrues, they will repay at the same fixed proportion of their salaries, as per the report.
Do international students planning to study in the UK need to worry?
The United Kingdom is home to some of the top educational institutions – from the University of Oxford to the London School of Economics, a primary reason why it has always been one of the top study-abroad destinations for students in India.
However, will the tuition fee hike affect international students, especially from India? While no official statements have been made on how the latest fee hike will affect international students, it should be noted here that the average cost of studying in the UK ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 pounds.
Big move amid a 16% decline in student visas
The recent tuition fee hike comes at a time when the UK recorded a 16 percent drop in international student visa applications between July and September 2024. The Business Standard quoted data from the UK Home Office which claimed that the number of applications came down to 263,400 from 312,500 in 2023.
