Tuition fee hikes in the UK!

[HalfDzed]

I'm watching the student protests against the tuition increases across the UK and wondered why now after all these years? Is it because of the new conservative adminstration and exactly how much of a difference is this likely to be in terms of the annual tuition fees? Furthermore, how is this likely to affect the students? Will it mean having to borrow more student loans to cover the hike or will there be subsidies that are in place for these sort of things? Here in the U.S., student tuition increases are quite common. In my 4 years of under-grad schooling at a state university - I witnessed my tuition fees double and then some, nobody made a fuss over it. We just accepted it and then later bitched about it in our dorm rooms.

[ArcadeFire]

Right now its just over £3,000 a year, non-commercial loans that you pay back after you earn over £15,000 per annum.
These bastards are taking it up to £9,000 A YEAR, same conditions as before, but no-one wants that kind of debt.
On top of that they're cutting the Education maintenance grant for pre-university students, £30 a week to stay in further education, their hitting the most vulnerable with the cuts.

[Basra-]

[Ureysoo]

Lol, We can't blame the conservative administration alone, as I assume. This issue actually started in 2006, when they changed the grant tuition fee, to some sort of a loan tuition fee. Students who started University prior to 2006, don’t have to pay back the tuition fee, unless if they took maintenance loan, instead of m. Grant. Also at the beginning of this academic year (2010-2011) or perhaps, the next one --- the maintenance grant is/will be out of the list of options. Yet, this only applies to "2010-2011 or after" university starters, the other students who started prior to this academic year, are still eligible (as I heard). I think the tuition fee is still the same, but they are planning to increase it up to £7000 and more, whilst the current rate is £3,300 as I suppose.

The issue is that the entry requirements are not as tough as it used to be back in the days, and the rate of the examinations modules decreased a bit. For example, most of the students do BETC (equivalent to 2 A levels + foundation diploma = 3 A levels), which is 100% coursework based, and no exams involved. In that way, most of the students will secure their Distinction – Merit and manage to go to university, nevertheless, the issue was quite different few years ago, in which students either had to do A Levels (still available) and AVCE (equivalent to 2 A Level ) and it used to be coursework + examination based.

Wa Cadaab Caadi Ah, Lol....

[HalfDzed]

Lol, We can't blame the conservative administration alone, as I assume. This issue actually started in 2006, when they changed the grant tuition fee, to some sort of a loan tuition fee. Students who started University prior to 2006, don’t have to pay back the tuition fee, unless if they took maintenance loan, instead of m. Grant. Also at the beginning of this academic year (2010-2011) or perhaps, the next one --- the maintenance grant is/will be out of the list of options. Yet, this only applies to "2010-2011 or after" university starters, the other students who started prior to this academic year, are still eligible (as I heard). I think the tuition fee is still the same, but they are planning to increase it up to £7000 and more, whilst the current rate is £3,300 as I suppose.

The issue is that the entry requirements are not as tough as it used to be back in the days, and the rate of the examinations modules decreased a bit. For example, most of the students do BETC (equivalent to 2 A levels + foundation diploma = 3 A levels), which is 100% coursework based, and no exams involved. In that way, most of the students will secure their Distinction – Merit and manage to go to university, nevertheless, the issue was quite different few years ago, in which students either had to do A Levels (still available) and AVCE (equivalent to 2 A Level ) and it used to be coursework + examination based.

Wa Cadaab Caadi Ah, Lol....

It does sound like they're proposing a possible over-haul of the system, not to mention adding on a substantial differential in terms of the cost.

So, after 4 years of university - how much is the average student looking at in terms of payback loans?

Right now its just over £3,000 a year, non-commercial loans that you pay back after you earn over £15,000 per annum. These bastards are taking it up to £9,000 A YEAR, same conditions as before, but no-one wants that kind of debt.
On top of that they're cutting the Education maintenance grant for pre-university students, £30 a week to stay in further education, their hitting the most vulnerable with the cuts.

Who's the guarantor of these loans? The education department/ministry or other non-commercial institutions with an over-sight from the education ministry?

[qoraxeey]

i have never paid a tution fee In my life

long live free education

[Ureysoo]

Half...

Well, it depends – students who started prior to 2006, will only have to pay back maintenance loan (if they took it). However, if they took maintenance grant instead, then – NONE (since, it used to be grant tuition fee – which shouldn’t be paid back) .

2006 starters – will have to pay back almost £13, 200 – 4 years ( loan tuition fee) + plus maintenance loan – max. £4, 900 a year. Nonetheless, if they took m. Grant, then they only have to repay the tuition fee.

2010-2011/After– Everything, I guess, Lol...

[Voltage]

It jumped by 2K and they are going crazy. My tuition jumped 2K on my first year as a student and now incoming Freshman are paying twice as much as I did when I was a freshman. Europeans and their welfare state luxuries.

[ArcadeFire]

Its been DOUBLED.
Programs like Aimhigher to help those from less priveledged backgrounds to enter university have been CUT.
Funds to help 16+ students from poorer families to stay in school have been WITHDRAWN.

Its like the poll taxes, whatever they were

Paris 1968