University Fees

[MissAlice]

University Fees

Many members here at some point may consider going to University, if not now, perhaps in the future. For 2008 entry, universities and colleges in England will charge new students up to £3,145 a year for their courses. This is a fee all students must pay at the start of each academic year. However if you're studying in Scotland, students already living in Scotland normally pay no tuition fees.

Is it fair that students living and studying in Scotland don't pay, while those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland do? My understanding is it's the UK taxes that subsidise Scotland! So why should their fees be free, while the rest of the UK have to pay?

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make up the United Kingdom, and I fail to see why students are treated differently. The rules should be the same for every student in the United Kingdom. What do you think?

[-Xiangu-]

I never knew it was free in scottland, It's stupid imo.

[7]

the government make me sick

[Virgin Mary]

It's stupid, you're pressured into getting an education but expected to pay for it yourself. I could teach myself what I'd be taught at university using wikipedia, only difference is I don't get some certificate saying I did it.

[Kieran]

Well I'm going to be applying for:
Air Transport with Pilots License (Commerical rating)

That's going to cost me £60,000+

[Jordy]

Well I'm going to be applying for:
Air Transport with Pilots License (Commerical rating)

That's going to cost me £60,000+Presumably the military or a business will sponsor you for that though?

The way Scotland gets tuition free and a better health service is just pathetic, none of us do or we all do.

I really don't know how I'm going to afford the fee's when I get to that stage, I guess it'll have to be years of debt and lots of work... Is there any plans to change this?

[Kieran]

There is a small chance of being sponsored by an airline

[partie2]

Im going to be starting university in september and I think that university should be free as the goverment are saying that the country is lacking people in skilled trades and people are told to go onto higher education for better career etc but then they slap you with a fee of over £3000 a year and that is if you are living at home. If you decide to move so you are near your university you are looking around £7000 a year for living costs and fees. I think that they should make university free as it will only lead to a better educated and smarter population which will add to the economy in the long run.
Even if you just want to apply for university so you have more options open to you for when you leave college e.g. you have to pay £15 to just apply and its all done on the internet!

[Ramones]

can you not just choose to go to a scottish university and not pay if the fees bother you that much?

[partie2]

No because as im not already living in Scotland I would still have to pay and even if it was free I wouldn't want to move to the opposite side of the country.

[MissAlice]

I don't think it's right for parents to pay for us to go to University, they've paid their taxes. It's one thing having to find the money for costs to live away from home, but surely education should be free for everyone in the UK, and if you are forced to take out a loan for each year, just for tuition fees, you will have a nice debt at the end that will need repaying, once you are earning more than £15,000 a year.

Wales I hear is now trying to obtain free tuition fees for University students!

[partie2]

By the time I finish uni im going to have a debt of around £10,000 and the government wanders why so many people in the UK are in so much debt!

[MissAlice]

By the time I finish uni im going to have a debt of around £10,000 and the government wanders why so many people in the UK are in so much debt!

Isn't life great, we are encouraged to get in debt, which is something my parents have taught me not to! I've been taught to live within my means.

[RedStratocas]

the thing about it is if the government were to provide free college enrollment, people would have to pay more taxes. so really, you'd be paying for it either way. but i'm a huge supporter of education. i think it's ridiculous that here in the united states, we spend five times as much on the military than we do on education of all levels. in the beginning of this year, our school ran out of tissues because of lack of funding. it's ridiculous. if we spent what we did on the iraq war on college tuition (not even including liability) we'd be able to send about half of a underclassmen year to college for free.

[360]

Whoever said that our Health care is better than Englands is wrong... they are the same if not ours worse.

I think the University fees thing is stupid, all universies across the UK should be free, although it will mean a rise in tax for everyone, but i'm sure the Scottish Parliament made the decision to scrap uni fees as we are semi-independant and for the rest of the UK to get it it would need to go through the house of commons (?)

[Abbie.]

ive sent away for a ucas card


ive decided im going to uni in 2009, and im going to scotland to do a teaching course as in northern ireland, its hard to get into stranmillis without A's at a-level

will i have to pay? :S

[Ramones]

does anyone know the rules on moving to a scottish university from a england, wales or n.ireland? do you have to have lived there so long etc?

[partie2]

the thing about it is if the government were to provide free college enrollment, people would have to pay more taxes. so really, you'd be paying for it either way. but i'm a huge supporter of education. i think it's ridiculous that here in the united states, we spend five times as much on the military than we do on education of all levels. in the beginning of this year, our school ran out of tissues because of lack of funding. it's ridiculous. if we spent what we did on the iraq war on college tuition (not even including liability) we'd be able to send about half of a underclassmen year to college for free.

If the government wanted to spread the fee for uni into taxes and sort out funding for it in other ways it wouldnt make to much of an impact onto peoples taxes. The goverment I dont think will do this for a while though if they do it at all because they dont want to rock the boat as there is bound to be people who disagree with it.

[Frodo13.]

ive sent away for a ucas card


ive decided im going to uni in 2009, and im going to scotland to do a teaching course as in northern ireland, its hard to get into stranmillis without A's at a-level

will i have to pay? :S

Yes you will. Only Scotish people don't have to pay at a Scotish uni.

[Moh]

Thank god for student loans.
So what's all this £3,000+ going to? Apart from governments back pockets?

[partie2]

goes towards the cost of the general running of the university e.g. lecturers wages, bills, equipment

[Moh]

goes towards the cost of the general running of the university e.g. lecturers wages, bills, equipment
There gona have some cash left after all that though :P

Shame your grants are going to go towards that though :(

[jrh2002]

Scotland has free uni and the welsh are trying for the same.
Wales has free prescriptions for all and scotland are trying for that now.
Why do us english have to pay for everybody and never get any benefits ourself? There must be a reason for all this :s How come scottish mp's voting on scottish issues vote one way but when its for the english they vote the total opposite? its a total disgrace.

The sooner you can escape go ;)

Tips:
Get as much student loan as poss and then when your highly qualified go and work abroad in the sun and never ever repay your student loan :)

When you get a prescription tick the box on it to say your unemployed and get it for free :o if they ever come back to you say you gave a friend the cash to collect it for you and then pay it back.

[24]

If you are at University in England and have to have to get a prescription or recieve Dental care, it is still possible to get it free (income assessed) you just need to fill out this form:
http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/HC1_form.htm
And you will be sent a claim form. I think its income assessed and you need to provide a copy of your student loan and bursary letters.
Its a bit of a drag to fill in but if it means you dont have to pay suppose its worth it. I have to get Hayfever tablets and eyedrops and it works out at £14.20 a time which soon adds up over the summer. You must be 19 or over and at University to claim though.
Ok its not relevant to the University fees but some people have mentioned prescriptions and it is relevant to that :] Plus it may help alot of people.

Regarding the fees, i think it has something to do with the fact that half of parliment is made up of scottish people and Gordon Brown is also scottish sooo who they gonna vote in favour of....even though they'll say they probably dont. Scottish MPs can vote on issues that affect only England but English MPs are unable to vote on the same issues in Scotland.

Its costs UK Taxpayers £2billion a year so that scottish students can enjoy free tuition "/ really annoying.

[leah]

:o Thats well unfair..
Tbh it should all be free ;)

[Nereo]

Uni fees suck. I didnt go uni when I came out of school but even if I was thinking about it I would have been well put off by the costs and may have ended up not going.

[MissAlice]

If you are at University in England and have to have to get a prescription or recieve Dental care, it is still possible to get it free (income assessed) you just need to fill out this form:
http://www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/HC1_form.htm
And you will be sent a claim form. I think its income assessed and you need to provide a copy of your student loan and bursary letters.
Its a bit of a drag to fill in but if it means you dont have to pay suppose its worth it. I have to get Hayfever tablets and eyedrops and it works out at £14.20 a time which soon adds up over the summer. You must be 19 or over and at University to claim though.
Ok its not relevant to the University fees but some people have mentioned prescriptions and it is relevant to that :] Plus it may help alot of people.

Regarding the fees, i think it has something to do with the fact that half of parliment is made up of scottish people and Gordon Brown is also scottish sooo who they gonna vote in favour of....even though they'll say they probably dont. Scottish MPs can vote on issues that affect only England but English MPs are unable to vote on the same issues in Scotland.

Its costs UK Taxpayers £2billion a year so that scottish students can enjoy free tuition "/ really annoying.

So they vote what's best for them, and to hell with England. All wrong!


Uni fees suck. I didnt go uni when I came out of school but even if I was thinking about it I would have been well put off by the costs and may have ended up not going.

Money shouldn't be the reason you decide not to go to University. England needs to encourage students, after all, they are the future.

[partie2]

Money shouldn't be the reason you decide not to go to University. England needs to encourage students, after all, they are the future.

Yes exactly, Dont be put off by the Uni fees it is alot of money but there is many different ways it can be financed and eventually you will be part of an intelligent and skilled generation instead of england slipping into the unskilled and unintelligent country which it is becoming..

[Puma!]

I'm going to univ abroad, so i'll be talking 45k +.

[Puma!]

Yes exactly, Dont be put off by the Uni fees it is alot of money but there is many different ways it can be financed and eventually you will be part of an intelligent and skilled generation instead of england slipping into the unskilled and unintelligent country which it is becoming..
I completely disagree with that statement.

More students are going to university now than ever, what alot of people don't realise is that the more students who end up choosing the university route; it means that there is too many grad students and not enough jobs - As I am involved in the family business (one of my duties is examining through peoples CV's) and I can see that year after year, we are getting more people who have a university degree and want to work in a job that doesn't involve a degree.

I know people who have gone to university who worked at mcdonalds before they started their course and two years after they have graduated; they are still working at mcdonalds. Difference is the individual is now 12 grand in debt.

[partie2]

I completely disagree with that statement.

More students are going to university now than ever, what alot of people don't realise is that the more students who end up choosing the university route; it means that there is too many grad students and not enough jobs - As I am involved in the family business (one of my duties is examining through peoples CV's) and I can see that year after year, we are getting more people who have a university degree and want to work in a job that doesn't involve a degree.

I know people who have gone to university who worked at mcdonalds before they started their course and two years after they have graduated; they are still working at mcdonalds. Difference is the individual is now 12 grand in debt.

So are you saying people should not bother going to university and furthering their education as there is no jobs for them to go into. If everyone thought like that then we would have a lack of graduates. I believe that if you want to work somewhere enough then you will make it you just need to have drive and determination.

[24]

Yes there may be a lot of Graduates, but then it is just down to the individual to make sure that they stand out from the rest..
e.g. Work experience, social activities etc.
You will always be competing against someone for a job whether you have a degree or not. For some careers it may work out more practical or neccessary to take a degree, for example if you plan to have a career in Law, Medicine, Finance, Business. A degree in one of these subjects would be more credible than say a degree in Media or Art. So in some cases it is worth the £15k debt you inccur.

[Alkaz]

Ireland do not have to pay either.
I think that the governments in the other countrys in the UK should all keep the things the same.

[Jbz-Hotboy.]

Its just life, thats what the Scottish Assembly decided ; they run Scotland and there Health-care, Education and Care for the Elderly, which are indeed free I heard.

Gordon Brown, can't afford in his other stretched budget to provide free university lessons which are only an Option
in this country to those who can afford it !

I can understand the Prime Minister can't provide millions of pounds to people wanting to go to an optional university

I can afford it as my family are rich

Life Is Un-Fair !

[AgnesIO]

Hmm i wasn't aware of this ;o But if it's the case lets all move to Scotland :P

[partie2]

Its just life, thats what the Scottish Assembly decided ; they run Scotland and there Health-care, Education and Care for the Elderly, which are indeed free I heard.

Gordon Brown, can't afford in his other stretched budget to provide free university lessons which are only an Option
in this country to those who can afford it !

I can understand the Prime Minister can't provide millions of pounds to people wanting to go to an optional university

I can afford it as my family are rich

Life Is Un-Fair !

wow how narrow minded and naive are you..

People who do come from poorer families can have there university mainly paid for them through grants from the goverment.

[luce]

wow how narrow minded and naive are you..

People who do come from poorer families can have there university mainly paid for them through grants from the goverment.

I agree. You wont go far in life. Your rich and can aford it. Well your saying only the rich percentage of the UK can have an extended education. Well um gald your not improtant because if you were we would have a bad country to live in! I can afford uni, but i still think that everyone should be given and equal opertunity to further education not just the people who are well off becuase all that will happen if the rich will get richer becuase theu get the good jobs and England and the Credit crunch will just slide even further into a ditch! There needs to be a sysstom to sort it out tbh.

You know the funny thing about you thou rich boy.
Your probably not rich at all and sitting in an internet cafe using your last 50p and it makes you feel big to say your top of the world!

[24]

Its just life, thats what the Scottish Assembly decided ; they run Scotland and there Health-care, Education and Care for the Elderly, which are indeed free I heard.

Gordon Brown, can't afford in his other stretched budget to provide free university lessons which are only an Option
in this country to those who can afford it !

I can understand the Prime Minister can't provide millions of pounds to people wanting to go to an optional university

I can afford it as my family are rich

Life Is Un-Fair !

Wow you really have no idea how this country operates do you...

[AgnesIO]

I doubt jbz is rich..

Mind you his stubborn spoiltness must come from somewhere...

[Jinc]

Get a loan. If you don't take a trashy degree you'll have a high enough income to pay it back with ease when you've graduated.

[Jbz-Hotboy.]

I would like to re-address this to everyone University is Optional YOU all act as if you have to go. LIFE IS UN-FAIR

[Supersam]

Its just life, thats what the Scottish Assembly decided ; they run Scotland and there Health-care, Education and Care for the Elderly, which are indeed free I heard.

Gordon Brown, can't afford in his other stretched budget to provide free university lessons which are only an Option
in this country to those who can afford it !

I can understand the Prime Minister can't provide millions of pounds to people wanting to go to an optional university

I can afford it as my family are rich

Life Is Un-Fair !

Your missing the point.

OUR government subsidise scotland.

That includes its healthcare and education.

We have free healthcare in this country available as without free healthcare many people would be unable to pay for the care needed.

We should not have to pay to go to university in England, N.Ireland or Wales if Scotland provide it free and WE pay taxes towards that.

We do NOT want to pay taxes for people in Scotland to have free education whilst we pay for it.

Its not "life" its wrong. The only reason we have to "get over it" is because we cannot vote to change it until we've already chosen our university and (in some cases) have already paid to go there.

And yes whilst university might be optional, that does not give the government the right to only allow those who can afford it to go when universities are funded by OUR taxes.... not just the taxes of the 'rich' people who can afford to go.

[JackBuddy]

I don't like the way that they encourage so many people to follow higher education as soon as tuition fees are removed. Oh, and I also don't like the way that foreign students sometimes have the advantage, as they pay up to 3x more than a british student. Anyway, I could rant about unis for hours so... i wont!
Oh, and for future reference; a scottish person has more money spent on them per head than an english person.
By the way, that was not against scottish people.

[Jbz-Hotboy.]

Well, University's are nothing to do with the gov.

And, what do you mean WE pay taxes ; Adults pay them for Healthcare, Schools, Bin Collection etc not for Optional University's

[JackBuddy]

The government used to pay for tuition fees.

[Barmi]

The government used to pay for tuition fees.
AFAIK, the government still subsidises tuition fees... just not the full fledged amount like they used to. Heck, some even got paid to go to uni! The problem there was that there would be many individuals applying for courses and then dropping out.

I can say quite safely that my parents will not be able to help me financially when I got to university in the autumn. Heck, even the money I'll be able to borrow will not be enough to fully cover my living costs, so I will be working (as I have over the past year) to make up the difference myself.

Going to university is a life-choice, and I see it having a huge impact on my future. Okay undoubtedly I'll have difficulty with money, but I don't see that as a hurdle at this point in time, and nor should it be.

And related to the topic: I'm 90% sure in Scotland there is some form of "graduation tax" paid to make the money back, only by the backdoor.

[Jinc]

Tbh Uni is a life experience, and you can't do anything quite like it without going. Not to mention the fact that it significantly increases your chances of getting a higher paid job in most cases.

[JackBuddy]

Tbh Uni is a life experience, and you can't do anything quite like it without going. Not to mention the fact that it significantly increases your chances of getting a higher paid job in most cases.
You have to find a higher paid job first- that's the problem.

[Supersam]

Well, University's are nothing to do with the gov.

And, what do you mean WE pay taxes ; Adults pay them for Healthcare, Schools, Bin Collection etc not for Optional University's

Everything in england has to do with the government.

WE pay taxes as in OUR parents have to pay. We should not have to pay for people in Scotland to go to Uni for free when we do not get the same treatmen.

University's may be 'optional' as you say - but they are still part of higher education.

The only reason Universitys are optional is because at 16 you cannot be forced to stay in education that is why people can leave before college. Now the government are trying to pay people to stay in higher education but not as far as University.

Its just stupid really.

[Jbz-Hotboy.]

Its not ares its the Scottish Assembly

[jony080]

University Fees

Many members here at some point may consider going to University, if not now, perhaps in the future. For 2008 entry, universities and colleges in England will charge new students up to £3,145 a year for their courses. This is a fee all students must pay at the start of each academic year. However if you're studying in Scotland, students already living in Scotland normally pay no tuition fees.

Is it fair that students living and studying in Scotland don't pay, while those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland do? My understanding is it's the UK taxes that subsidise Scotland! So why should their fees be free, while the rest of the UK have to pay?

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make up the United Kingdom, and I fail to see why students are treated differently. The rules should be the same for every student in the United Kingdom. What do you think?

Being Scottish, free tution is fine, and it's probably got something to do with the Scottish Parliment (Thanking you, Mr Salmond.).

[MissAlice]

Being Scottish, free tution is fine, and it's probably got something to do with the Scottish Parliment (Thanking you, Mr Salmond.).

How would you feel if students in England, Ireland and Wales didn't have to pay tuition fees, and in Scotland you did?