MSE News: Student tuition fees could treble by 2012

amiehall

Helix wrote: »

Its not the government have stated that deferred entry students will pay the same as those starting in 2012 as direct entry.

They are not repeating what happened in 2006.

Blimey this is very very bad news! Seems quite unfair too as surely a fair number of students have already applied for deferred entry before these proposals were even announced.... I guess one way to look at this is that at least I'm not one of them!

Dacron

The amount of ill informed hostility towards students and towards higher education in general in some of these posts is quite staggering.

Perhaps a first step would be for those who rant along the lines of "why should I pay for xxx " to actually acquire some basic understanding of the way that society works, the principles that underpin it and the philosophy that guides it.

melancholly

emidee wrote: »

I'm from a 'low income family' & I'll be losing out because of this fee increase. :mad:

I'm a 2nd year sciences student, & have already applied to study Medicine in 2012 - I want to be a Doctor. I've made a deferred application as I want to finish my existing course first. Applying to study Medicine as a second degree is fairly common, especially for mature students.

Because Student Finance incorrectly recognise the 5yr Medicine course to be at the same level as an ordinary 3-yr BSc(Hons) degree, they refuse to offer further tuition fee loans to students who are studying for their second degree.

Until 2 weeks ago this was not necessarily a problem for me; I was fairly certain that I would be able to secure £16,500 worth of funding for tuition fees over the 5 year course.
Now, however, it looks like the course will cost between £30,000 - £45,000, payable upfront. (and JUST for tuition fees, giving no thought to living costs!) :eek:

If I'd known 2 years ago they were going to change the rules like this, I'd have sat A levels or similar instead, in order to qualify for medical school - that way I could have ensured I would still be eligible for tuition fee funding for the Medicine course. Now it's too late for that & I'm stuck with no options, as far as I know.

As it is I don't think I'll be training as a Doctor now, & I literally do not know what to do.

with a science degree, can you apply to the graduate scheme? i don't know how the funding changes will impact on that, but with the old/current rules it provided more funding and was over 4 years so being shorter helps too!

melancholly

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11726822

just for anyone interested, today is the big demonstration in London!

emidee

melancholly wrote: »

with a science degree, can you apply to the graduate scheme? i don't know how the funding changes will impact on that, but with the old/current rules it provided more funding and was over 4 years so being shorter helps too!

Ideally I'd love to apply for the Graduate entry scheme, but the uni I've applied to doesn't offer it. Even if I was to apply elsewhere (which would have to be for 2012 entry as I wouldn't be a graduate until then), Graduate Entry schemes are even more competitive than the regular undergraduate courses. At Bristol Uni, for example there were 513 applicants for 19 places last year - 27 applicants per place! That wouldn't put me off trying, but it does lower the chances of being successful.

You're right that the funding is different for Graduate entry though, basically there's a NHS grant available in years 2-4.

Thanks for your input.

foofi22

With regard to the proposed(?) changes in the loan repayment rates/thresholds - does anyone know how this will affect past students (graduated 2007) currently repaying their loans?

It would be very very bad form to go retrospectively changing the terms of the loan like this, however I've not seen any references that it will not apply retrospectively (that said I've not seen any indications it will apply to past students)

stephyt23

foofi22 wrote: »

With regard to the proposed(?) changes in the loan repayment rates/thresholds - does anyone know how this will affect past students (graduated 2007) currently repaying their loans?

It would be very very bad form to go retrospectively changing the terms of the loan like this, however I've not seen any references that it will not apply retrospectively (that said I've not seen any indications it will apply to past students)

I doubt that would change, considering for those already studying they won't have their fees increased. Just hope it won't affect me with moving to a different uni as I'm already in my 2nd year.

stephyt23

Just wondered if anyone thinks universities could potentially lose out if they were to charge that amount? I mean who would really want to be left with £30,000 of debt. I'm wondering if it will make a lot of people re-think their career plans. I know if I were looking to go to uni and doing A Levels at the minute I'd be having a serious think as to whether that amount of debt is really worth it.

emidee

stephyt23 wrote: »

Just wondered if anyone thinks universities could potentially lose out if they were to charge that amount? I mean who would really want to be left with £30,000 of debt. I'm wondering if it will make a lot of people re-think their career plans. I know if I were looking to go to uni and doing A Levels at the minute I'd be having a serious think as to whether that amount of debt is really worth it.

This article on the BBC seems to think £9,000 will become the going rate. :eek:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11686883

I can see why people would be put off - this is the 2nd time they've tripled tuition fees in 5 years!

Goldenyears

What happens about graduates/postgrads who get permanent residence overseas soon after qualifying. Not unusual for someone with a transferable skill like medicine. Do they completely escape repayment of the loan ?