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| University fees: Students' and parents' views | University fees: Students' and parents' views |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Students and parents are waiting anxiously for the outcome of Lord Browne's review on university funding in England, which is expected to recommend removing the cap on tuition fees, which currently stands at £3,290 a year. Some say such a move would put them off university altogether, others say they would be prepared to stump up the extra cash for a degree. | Students and parents are waiting anxiously for the outcome of Lord Browne's review on university funding in England, which is expected to recommend removing the cap on tuition fees, which currently stands at £3,290 a year. Some say such a move would put them off university altogether, others say they would be prepared to stump up the extra cash for a degree. |
Mike Wilkinson: Parent fears he won't be able to support his daughter | Mike Wilkinson: Parent fears he won't be able to support his daughter |
| Mike, a technical services manager from Lancaster, already struggles to help his first daughter, Laura, pay the fees for her criminology and psychology degree at Keele University. | Mike, a technical services manager from Lancaster, already struggles to help his first daughter, Laura, pay the fees for her criminology and psychology degree at Keele University. |
| Now he fears a rise in tuition fees will mean his second daughter, Holly, won't be able to go to university. | Now he fears a rise in tuition fees will mean his second daughter, Holly, won't be able to go to university. |
| "I think I'd be saying to my daughter 'I'm not sure as a life choice you can afford this.' If fees were higher, we'd have to say to her 'You're on your own' and I think she wouldn't go for it," says Mike. | "I think I'd be saying to my daughter 'I'm not sure as a life choice you can afford this.' If fees were higher, we'd have to say to her 'You're on your own' and I think she wouldn't go for it," says Mike. |
| While he has a good job, Mike says he is the sole breadwinner in the family and he is not flush with cash. He fears a rise in fees will see university become the preserve of the elite well-off. | While he has a good job, Mike says he is the sole breadwinner in the family and he is not flush with cash. He fears a rise in fees will see university become the preserve of the elite well-off. |
| "I believe in paying my way and my children are almost penalised because of it and it just doesn't seem fair. It's because we're in the middle," he says. | "I believe in paying my way and my children are almost penalised because of it and it just doesn't seem fair. It's because we're in the middle," he says. |
| Mike would support some form of graduate tax, but "perhaps not for life". | Mike would support some form of graduate tax, but "perhaps not for life". |
| But he also feels there needs to be a closer look at what universities are doing. "We as taxpayers pump a lot of money into universities and get no return and students get no return. Sometimes it feels like they are asking students and taxpayers to fund a totally academic existence where I can contemplate my navel." | |
| Mike also says there should be greater scrutiny of universities' buildings and estate development. | Mike also says there should be greater scrutiny of universities' buildings and estate development. |
Ruben Ferreira: Fine Arts student would not be put off by higher fees | Ruben Ferreira: Fine Arts student would not be put off by higher fees |
| Ruben, 21, is in his second year at Chelsea College of Art and Design. The first in his family to go to university, he is studying for a BA in Fine Art. He is not receiving help from his family, but gets a small bursary from the university and works 16 hours a week in a coffee shop to help fund his studies. Nevertheless, he expects to finish his course with £26,000 of debt. | Ruben, 21, is in his second year at Chelsea College of Art and Design. The first in his family to go to university, he is studying for a BA in Fine Art. He is not receiving help from his family, but gets a small bursary from the university and works 16 hours a week in a coffee shop to help fund his studies. Nevertheless, he expects to finish his course with £26,000 of debt. |
| But Ruben says he would still go to university, even if fees went up. "I have always had the ambition of being a teacher and in order to do that I need to do a PGCE and to do that I need a degree," he says. | But Ruben says he would still go to university, even if fees went up. "I have always had the ambition of being a teacher and in order to do that I need to do a PGCE and to do that I need a degree," he says. |
| But that's not to say he thinks a rise in fees is fair. "You're trying to achieve something to give back. There ought to be an alternative - how much more should students be in debt by?" | But that's not to say he thinks a rise in fees is fair. "You're trying to achieve something to give back. There ought to be an alternative - how much more should students be in debt by?" |
| But on balance, Ruben says he prefers the idea of higher upfront fees to a graduate tax. "You know the structure," he says. | But on balance, Ruben says he prefers the idea of higher upfront fees to a graduate tax. "You know the structure," he says. |
Tom Welsh: Prospective student who would be put off by higher fees | Tom Welsh: Prospective student who would be put off by higher fees |
| Tom Welsh, 19, sat his A-levels this summer and plans to take up a place at Leicester University next year to study politics. He won't qualify for a bursary and doesn't expect to get help from his family. | Tom Welsh, 19, sat his A-levels this summer and plans to take up a place at Leicester University next year to study politics. He won't qualify for a bursary and doesn't expect to get help from his family. |
| He will fund his studies with loans and expects to graduate with debts of up to £20,000. "It's quite a lot in itself - if it gets to £40,000 or £50,000 then it's getting a bit ludicrous." | He will fund his studies with loans and expects to graduate with debts of up to £20,000. "It's quite a lot in itself - if it gets to £40,000 or £50,000 then it's getting a bit ludicrous." |
| Tom says if fees were increased to around £10,000 a year, he would not go to university. | Tom says if fees were increased to around £10,000 a year, he would not go to university. |
| "You'd come out of university with a debt that's like a mortgage before you've even got a proper job," he says. "It used to be that if you had a degree, you were guaranteed a job, but now there's lots of graduates coming out and people are struggling to get jobs." | "You'd come out of university with a debt that's like a mortgage before you've even got a proper job," he says. "It used to be that if you had a degree, you were guaranteed a job, but now there's lots of graduates coming out and people are struggling to get jobs." |
| Tom does not think charging students more is the way to fund higher education. He is concerned that the current structure - and any rise in fees - gives students the message that being in debt is acceptable. | Tom does not think charging students more is the way to fund higher education. He is concerned that the current structure - and any rise in fees - gives students the message that being in debt is acceptable. |
| "Being in debt in this country is seen as okay and it shouldn't be like that." | "Being in debt in this country is seen as okay and it shouldn't be like that." |
| Tom finds it hard to accept that higher fees for students are being imposed by a generation that did not have to pay for a university education. | Tom finds it hard to accept that higher fees for students are being imposed by a generation that did not have to pay for a university education. |
Paul Scotson: Parent fears his children will end up with huge debts | Paul Scotson: Parent fears his children will end up with huge debts |
| Paul, a professional from Wimborne in Dorset, worries that his two children will end up with thousands of pounds' worth of debt. His daughter, 19, is just starting a degree in Veterinary Medicine at Bristol University and his son, 15, wants to study medicine. Paul is a higher-rate tax payer, so will not qualify for any financial assistance. His wife has stayed at home to look after the children. | Paul, a professional from Wimborne in Dorset, worries that his two children will end up with thousands of pounds' worth of debt. His daughter, 19, is just starting a degree in Veterinary Medicine at Bristol University and his son, 15, wants to study medicine. Paul is a higher-rate tax payer, so will not qualify for any financial assistance. His wife has stayed at home to look after the children. |
| "I am a professional, but by no means a wealthy person," says Paul. "I drive a 12-year-old car and don't take expensive holidays. I can't afford much help so my children could finish up with £50,000 of debt just to cover the fees, let alone living costs. This money will be taken out of the general economy in order to repay the debt." | "I am a professional, but by no means a wealthy person," says Paul. "I drive a 12-year-old car and don't take expensive holidays. I can't afford much help so my children could finish up with £50,000 of debt just to cover the fees, let alone living costs. This money will be taken out of the general economy in order to repay the debt." |
| Paul has a novel idea for raising more cash for the higher education sector. "I suggest that those who are voting for this [higher tuition fees] should be asked to retrospectively pay for their university degrees before they're allowed to vote in favour," he says. | Paul has a novel idea for raising more cash for the higher education sector. "I suggest that those who are voting for this [higher tuition fees] should be asked to retrospectively pay for their university degrees before they're allowed to vote in favour," he says. |
| More seriously, Paul suggests wiping out all current student debt and bringing in a graduate tax that applies to everyone in the country who has a degree. "It would be fairer and a lot lower too," he says. | More seriously, Paul suggests wiping out all current student debt and bringing in a graduate tax that applies to everyone in the country who has a degree. "It would be fairer and a lot lower too," he says. |
Sally: Medical student would be put off by higher fees | Sally: Medical student would be put off by higher fees |
| Sally (not her real name) is studying medicine at Kings College London. She says higher fees would have put her off university altogether. "I don't think I'd have gone to university if the fees had been £10,000. I don't think you can justify that over five years." | Sally (not her real name) is studying medicine at Kings College London. She says higher fees would have put her off university altogether. "I don't think I'd have gone to university if the fees had been £10,000. I don't think you can justify that over five years." |
| Sally is funding her degree with a student loan and bursaries she has received from Kings College. She also works 20 hours a week in a nightclub at weekends. She did not want to disclose her real identity because she did not want her parents or tutors to know just how much she was working. | Sally is funding her degree with a student loan and bursaries she has received from Kings College. She also works 20 hours a week in a nightclub at weekends. She did not want to disclose her real identity because she did not want her parents or tutors to know just how much she was working. |
| She says working and studying at the same time has been tough. "Last year I really struggled and it would be Wednesday before I'd caught up on sleep. Then I would have a couple of good days study before I was back working again." | She says working and studying at the same time has been tough. "Last year I really struggled and it would be Wednesday before I'd caught up on sleep. Then I would have a couple of good days study before I was back working again." |
| Sally acknowledges there is no easy solution to funding higher education. While she is against higher fees, she believes a graduate tax would only lead to more graduates leaving the country. | Sally acknowledges there is no easy solution to funding higher education. While she is against higher fees, she believes a graduate tax would only lead to more graduates leaving the country. |
Michael Whitmore: History student would not be put off by higher fees | Michael Whitmore: History student would not be put off by higher fees |
| Michael, 20, is a third-year History student at the University of East Anglia. He says higher fees would not put him off going to university because he feels a degree is a necessity. | Michael, 20, is a third-year History student at the University of East Anglia. He says higher fees would not put him off going to university because he feels a degree is a necessity. |
| "To get anywhere in life, you need a good degree. It's a social stigma - you have to go to university or everyone looks down their nose at you." | "To get anywhere in life, you need a good degree. It's a social stigma - you have to go to university or everyone looks down their nose at you." |
| Michael says university is also important because it is a "journey", giving students the chance to develop other skills, sporting or otherwise. | Michael says university is also important because it is a "journey", giving students the chance to develop other skills, sporting or otherwise. |
| Michael is funding his degree with a part-time job - 16 hours a week - in a school kitchen. His parents are also helping him, but with the proviso he gets a 2:1 - if he doesn't, he will have to pay them the tuition fees back. | Michael is funding his degree with a part-time job - 16 hours a week - in a school kitchen. His parents are also helping him, but with the proviso he gets a 2:1 - if he doesn't, he will have to pay them the tuition fees back. |
| Michael's solution to the problem of funding university education is to "go for quality over quantity". He believes the expansion of higher education has led to the devaluation of degrees. | Michael's solution to the problem of funding university education is to "go for quality over quantity". He believes the expansion of higher education has led to the devaluation of degrees. |
| Michael suggests just the top 100 universities should be allowed to offer degrees and the rest should become specialist colleges in their areas of expertise. This would stop "large amounts of students running into large amounts of debt with a degree that will barely help them in the job market", says Michael. | Michael suggests just the top 100 universities should be allowed to offer degrees and the rest should become specialist colleges in their areas of expertise. This would stop "large amounts of students running into large amounts of debt with a degree that will barely help them in the job market", says Michael. |