University fees plan to rise once again

It has to be paid for, regardless of who pays for it. The question is not the cost of the degree, but the ratio of what is paid by the student and what is paid by the taxpayer. Although, arguably, the taxpayer always ends up paying the majority of it anyway, as loans are always available.

Saying "why should I pay that much just because I want an education" is a bit odd, because in my opinion HE is a luxury and a privilege, not a right. I think the current system is actually very generous, allowing students to take loans- imagine if that weren't available, you just wouldn't be able to go.

It's like anything else in life. It has a price, and it's completely up to you whether you want to do it, and whether you feel it's a sound investment into your own future. Nobody will force you, and it's a decision that you have to make on your own.

If you compare fees to the cost of private schools, it does put the amount into some perspective. And if we did this, it would also shift the mindset away from being disgruntled, to an understanding of the cost of education.
Once you have established that Unis will take the major element of funding from fees charged, hiking the fees in line with inflation is inevitable.
When you apply, are you applying for a cost over 3-4 years or does the amount change yearly. So you might start at £9,000 and it could be £13,000 at the end. or if you apply at £9000 does this cost apply for the course duration?

If you compare fees to the cost of private schools, it does put the amount into some perspective. And if we did this, it would also shift the mindset away from being disgruntled, to an understanding of the cost of education.
Once you have established that Unis will take the major element of funding from fees charged, hiking the fees in line with inflation is inevitable.
When you apply, are you applying for a cost over 3-4 years or does the amount change yearly. So you might start at £9,000 and it could be £13,000 at the end. or if you apply at £9000 does this cost apply for the course duration?

If you compare fees to the cost of private schools, it does put the amount into some perspective. And if we did this, it would also shift the mindset away from being disgruntled, to an understanding of the cost of education.
Once you have established that Unis will take the major element of funding from fees charged, hiking the fees in line with inflation is inevitable.
When you apply, are you applying for a cost over 3-4 years or does the amount change yearly. So you might start at £9,000 and it could be £13,000 at the end. or if you apply at £9000 does this cost apply for the course duration?

I've been reading through various university prospectuses and it seems the fees are going to rise again. One phrase particularly caught my attention which was:
"2014 fees are subject to government approval"
To further back this up on the bursary page of York's prospectus the phrase 'increased number available in 2014' appeared through various bursaries.

Are they really going to put them up AGAIN but have shied away from publicising it?

AT an offer holder's day recently we were assured that whatever cost you started at, stayed the same for the whole of the degree, but will wait and see!

Theoretically the Government could do what it likes, and start charging silly amounts for later years. However, that would be deeply controversial, and if the fees do go up it would almost certainly only be for new students. Although it didn't happen in 2013, they could though increase the 9K with inflation, e.g. make it around £9225 next year.

Nobody is priced out, the loan is available for everyone to cover tuition. I hate it when people talk about people not being able to afford to go, because there is so much financial help out there that I just don't believe it. And it's not "debt" as in the traditional sense, if you don't earn enough you don't pay it back, and if you do earn enough then the repayments are reasonable.

I think calling HE a "basic right" is a bit silly, considering there are so many people in this world who don't even have clean water.

Higher Education shouldn't be a luxury or a privilege, it should be a basic right. It isn't fair that people from lower backgrounds who are more than capable of attending university, and graduating with outstanding grades, should be pushed out of applying to university. Yes there are loans to cover, yes there are grants, but on the other hand there is also a huge fear of placing yourself in that much debt. Its horrendous that we now have to chose between an education and trying to find a job that just isn't there.

If I hadn't chosen to go to university, what else could I do at the moment in this current economical climate than keep borrowing money off my parents and stay at home? The system is floored and needs reworking.

I think you are wrong here. The Government have allowed the Unis to charge whatever fees they like, up to a certain amount (originally £9000). Are you saying this ceiling has changed by edict from Govt? Or are the Unis requesting the ability to change the ceiling? Were this to be the case not all unis will be charging the highest amount as with 2013 applicants.

So we need a better understanding of the student finance system, not a free-for-all. It's people calling it debt that creates that fear - no-one is going to knocking on your door asking for it back, you don't have to worry how you're going to pay it each month, it just comes out of your wage packet just like NI or tax. Call it a graduate tax, proportional to how much your degree cost.

Theoretically the Government could do what it likes, and start charging silly amounts for later years. However, that would be deeply controversial, and if the fees do go up it would almost certainly only be for new students. Although it didn't happen in 2013, they could though increase the 9K with inflation, e.g. make it around £9225 next year.

The cost stays the same. That is why people who applied before the rise to £9000 still only had to pay the old £3000 fee.

Well I'm just finishing my first year and the fees at my uni are rising next year. This year the tuition fee charged was £8500, and next year it goes up to £8750. I know this is due to inflation, but they are charging this rise to existing students too.

And they can do this without going to GOVT because it is within the £9,000 limit

Yes I wasn't complaining about this. I felt I had to point it out though due to the comments of 'what you pay in the first year is what you'll pay throughout'