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UCAS admissions system to include European universities

What do you guys think of this? Germany have removed tuition fees for their universities. Do you think it will attract more British students?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31503193

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

Origami Bullets

Possibly - but there's a major barrier to student mobility in the form of funding. You can't take your UK student finance and use it abroad.

However, this might change in the future - SAAS is currently running a pilot scheme that will allow Scottish students to use Scottish SF at five approved European unis.

If this scheme was to be expanded, I can see it becoming a significant option, but always a minority pursuit. I think those who travelled would largely be those who come from schools who are very good at university advice (and who can advise on European unis) and students who've studied an MFL at A Level.

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Reply 2

Gnomes&Knights

Original post by Origami Bullets

Possibly - but there's a major barrier to student mobility in the form of funding. You can't take your UK student finance and use it abroad.
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So you are saying that student's won't be able to use tuition fee loans or maintenance loans that they carry out on universities outside the UK? They will have to have the money and pay for fees and accommodation upfront? But in Germany tuition fees have been scrapped but they will still have to pay for accommodation upfront which is, I'm guessing, what you are saying. How do international students come to the UK and carry out tuition fee loans and maintenance loans or do they just get it from their country as I'm pretty sure not all students will have the money to study in the UK.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

TheFinalProblem

I'm an international, and I was told I'd get the regular loan for the tuition fees, but I won't be able for any maintenance loans (at least not from student finance) so I need to either get a normal loan, a scholarship or my parents to pay for accomodation etc...

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Reply 4

TheFinalProblem

Also, in Germany we don't have anything like student finance, it's all private loans and companies who try and copy the uk model for profit...

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Reply 5

Gnomes&Knights

Original post by TheFinalProblem

So international students can apply for the tuition fee loan from Student Finance England but not the maintenance loan. They have to get a loan from somewhere else to pay for accommodation. Am I right?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 6

Gnomes&Knights

Original post by TheFinalProblem

Also, in Germany we don't have anything like student finance, it's all private loans and companies who try and copy the uk model for profit...

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It's only loans to pay for accommodation because tuition fees have been scrapped. Am I right?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 7

Origami Bullets

Original post by Raymat

So you are saying that student's won't be able to use tuition fee loans or maintenance loans that they carry out on universities outside the UK? They will have to have the money and pay for fees and accommodation upfront? But in Germany tuition fees are scrapped but they will still have to pay for accommodation upfront which is, I'm guessing, what you are saying. How do international students come to the UK and carry out tuition fee loans and maintenance loans or do they just get it from their country as I'm pretty sure not all students will have the money to study in the UK.

That's exactly what I'm saying - whilst tuition fees are lower, only those students with families that are both rich and generous enough to cover all of their tuition fees and maintenance costs upfront will be able to benefit from the EU unis on UCAS.

However, there are a few schemes which other EU unis have to (part) fund UK students studying in their country - I believe the Dutch do offer something, but it's not much.

There's no UK government funding for non-EU students studying in the UK. Many of them are rich, or their families have made a lot of sacrifices for them to come here. Some of them come for first year, and don't see their families again until after they've graduated because they simply can't afford the flights. Others live a rather jet set lifestyle.

In other cases, depending on the country of origin, their home country may have some funding opportunities - you get quite a few Norwegian students here for that reason, and I believe there are some Chinese government schemes in place. Similarly, American students can use some of their loans to study abroad.

In the case of EU students studying in the UK, they are eligible for a UK tuition fee loan, but they have to fund all their living costs themselves, upfront. This can act as quite a major barrier to them coming here.

Reply 8

Origami Bullets

Original post by TheFinalProblem

This is only true if you're an EU student (which is different to being an international student).

If you're an international student, you don't even get a tuition fee loan...

Reply 9

Gnomes&Knights

So the summary is:

UK students;
Tuition fee loan - yes
Maintenance loan - yes
EU students;
Tuition fee loan - yes
Maintenance loan - no
International students;
Tuition fee loan - no
Maintenance loan - no

(edited 9 years ago)