High tuition fees for poor students

According to the Sutton Trust, the commissioned research, in case the universities are given a free rein for setting the charges, the most prestigious universities are likely to raise the tuition fees five-fold for poor students. A cross-party review has investigated possible results of allowing universities to charge any fees they consider appropriate. The findings showed that if the cap is removed, a free market will be established.
Lord Browne’s review is likely to be published in a week and is expected to cause dramatic changes in English higher education. Browne is reported to recommend that universities should get the income from tuition fees up to £10,000 per year while the current cap is £3,290.
The Sutton Trust study has found that a free market exists from outside the European Union. The researchers found out how much 20 universities charge undergraduates from outside the European Union and how much they charge postgraduates from all countries. The findings showed that at some of top universities fees for non-EU undergraduates are five times higher than those for UK students.
The study carried out by the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics has found out that top universities charge twice as much as lower-ranked universities. The same number can be applied to postgraduate fees.
One of the researches, Professor Steve Machin, claimed that the fees charged to postgraduates and overseas undergraduates "provide an indication of what could happen if the financial charges for undergraduate courses are allowed to vary more than they currently do". Machin noticed in his essay: "There are obvious concerns that such large variations might deter students from less privileged backgrounds. Certain universities and courses with the highest financial return may become off-limits for less privileged students."
Lord Browne also says that he supports the idea of allowing universities to admit more students from abroad in case the number of students from the UK is invariable. According to researchers, 10% of all undergraduates who get their higher education in England and 50% of postgraduates would be from outside the EU by 2015.
The National Union of Students (NUS) considers that the removal of the cap would be "a nightmare for students and their families". Aaron Porter, the NUS president, said: "Top-up fees were tripled four years ago and the public will not tolerate a further hike.Fortunately a great many politicians have pledged to oppose higher fees and we will hold them to their promise to prevent the emergence of a damaging and destructive market in fees that would entrench privilege and benefit a narrow elite."

Tags: tuition fees , poor students

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