Universities get power to raise fees to £9,000

[AtW]

Universities will have to charge fees of at least £6,000 a year from 2012. The maximum allowed will be £9,000.

The Coalition had been expected to cap fees at the lower level of £7,000, but it is understood that several universities threatened to go private, and charge far higher fees, if ministers pushed ahead with the lower cap.

The Daily Telegraph can also disclose that the interest rate on the government loans to pay tuition fees will be three percentage points above inflation. Graduates will spend up to 30 years of their working lives repaying the loans, surrendering 9 per cent of their earnings over £21,000.

They will face redemption penalties if trying to pay off the loans early, but students will be able to pay upfront without paying an extra levy.

Discussions are thought to be continuing about the size of the penalty, a key Liberal Democrat demand.

The radical package is expected to be unveiled as early as next week by Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, according to university sources briefed on the plans.

It is likely to be heavily opposed by some Lib Dems and may prompt a handful of government resignations.

More: Universities get power to raise fees to £9,000 - Telegraph

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oh FFS what kind of bastard in the Govt wants to prevent students from REPAYING loan early, FFS such penalties should be illegal in the first place - everyone should have the right to repay debt early without penalty.

[d000hg]

oh FFS what kind of bastard in the Govt wants to prevent students from REPAYING loan early, FFS such penalties should be illegal in the first place - everyone should have the right to repay debt early without penalty.

For once, we are totally in agreement. IF that's true, that is.

[MrMark]

To be honest, any student who doesn't now do their degree in Europe (and save 1000s of pounds) deserves to pay the 20k+ stupidity fee.
stu-link

[Sysman]

To be honest, any student who doesn't now do their degree in Europe (and save 1000s of pounds) deserves to pay the 20k+ stupidity fee.
stu-link

Bruno's choice, however, isn't on the Eurostar route. He was delighted to discover a campus run by Nottingham University in Ningbo, China, where he could study engineering for two years, followed by two years in Nottingham.

I can certainly see the appeal of doing an engineering degree in China (where they still, er, make stuff), and it can certainly do no harm to his post graduation prospects for a job.

[AtW]

I can certainly see the appeal of doing an engineering degree in China (where they still, er, make stuff), and it can certainly do no harm to his post graduation prospects for a job.

Quiet.

All he'll need to do the is beat off competition with a million of native Chinese engineers who are ready to work for equivalent of minimum wage in the UK.

[norrahe]

To be honest, any student who doesn't now do their degree in Europe (and save 1000s of pounds) deserves to pay the 20k+ stupidity fee.
stu-link

In the good old days where local authorities used to pay ones tuition fees in full if you studied in another European country, these days it's just reduced fees.

It is a shame really as education will become a privilege of the rich and not for all.

[AtW]

It is a shame really as education will become a privilege of the rich and not for all.

Rubbish - student numbers will drop by 25-30%, however overall there will be still be 35%+ getting Uni edukation. The drop off will be largely in those "media studies" that are totally worthless insofar job prospects are concerned.

I've been to Uni in this country and can say that students attitudes are appalling - getting smashed on beers whilst I am slaving away in the library*




That was the only place with Internet access...

[norrahe]

Rubbish - student numbers will drop by 25-30%, however overall there will be still be 35%+ getting Uni edukation. The drop off will be largely in those "media studies" that are totally worthless insofar job prospects are concerned.

I've been to Uni in this country and can say that students attitudes are appalling - getting smashed on beers whilst I am slaving away in the library*




That was the only place with Internet access...

There are some who do go to uni and attempt to work their way through it as well as attend lectures, but often end up dropping out as the pressure of combining work and study is too much.

I did venture back to my old uni (I too studied in the UK) a few years back and did wonder what happened to the "poor" student as the student union seemed to be crowded with affluent youngsters dressed in designer gear.

Some of us got our fees paid by the EU and then paid for the rest by working and finding the right balance of work and study.

The 35% drop off will hit the more expensive courses such as medicine and dentistry, "meeejia" studies and other cheaper courses will become the more favoured option, as people take whatever they can just to get a degree.

It is a shame that many companies for permie jobs put the emphasis on what class of degree you got irrespective how many years work experience you might have.

[AtW]

The 35% drop off will hit the more expensive courses such as medicine and dentistry

Those courses, especially dentistry, can result in a well paying job so it would be possible to get a loan etc.

It's the other courses that give just a piece of paper and no real knowledge, experience etc that will be hit highest because it would be impossible to justify full cost of those to the student.

It should not be necessary to go to Uni in order to be successful - ffs, this country clearly has got short supply of plumbers, electricians etc - hands on people who can do things quickly and without massive cost.

[norrahe]

Those courses, especially dentistry, can result in a well paying job so it would be possible to get a loan etc.

It's the other courses that give just a piece of paper and no real knowledge, experience etc that will be hit highest because it would be impossible to justify full cost of those to the student.

It should not be necessary to go to Uni in order to be successful - ffs, this country clearly has got short supply of plumbers, electricians etc - hands on people who can do things quickly and without massive cost.

A lot of people don't see the end point and the well paying job, they just see the expense at the start and are scared off by it.

Unfortunately a lot of companies seem to want people from certain universities with top class degrees. This seems to happen a lot in the city and many companies will not progress an employee to management level unless they have a degree (friend of mine is being paid to study for a degree in order to move up a level at tesco).