The Student Room Group

Reduction in tuition fees

As the Covid-19 impacts, most of us are not only going through tough times but also have to manage our classes online. Is there a possibility for university to extend a helping hand in the form to reduce in our tuition fee in this semester ? We hope the university will help to reduce our financial burden in this unforeseeable outbreak. Thank you.
Original post by SCWong
As the Covid-19 impacts, most of us are not only going through tough times but also have to manage our classes online. Is there a possibility for university to extend a helping hand in the form to reduce in our tuition fee in this semester ? We hope the university will help to reduce our financial burden in this unforeseeable outbreak. Thank you.

@SCWong : I know this must be difficult. As you say most universities have taken the decision to move teaching online and there are some great examples of universities delivering high quality distance learning across the UK.

This global pandemic was unexpected and is affecting all sectors of the economy and society. I know that
there will have been a few teething problems and things will not be the same as tuition is being delivered in a different way but to facilitate this
Universities have had to invest more money and utilise staff resource. So, students ordinarily should not expect any fee refund if they are receiving adequate online learning and support.

However, the Government has made it clear that if institutions are unable to deliver adequate online teaching then it would be unacceptable for students to be charged for any additional terms effectively being charged twice.

If you do feel that your provider is not taking enough measures to accommodate adequate teaching then you should speak to your University to see if they can resolve the complaint. If this is not possible or if you are unhappy with the outcome then you can take the complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). The OIA covers students complaints concerning higher education providers in England and Wales.

Thanks,
Michelle
Reply 3

This is a worthy petition considering the less than adequate response by the Universities Minister, which is entirely based on the flawed assumption that universities have moved their services online. Her advice for students to take complaints to the useless, corrupt, conflicted, biased, abysmal OIA is so offensive.
I am wondering what happens next term. Ie autumn. It’s fine to have had lectures just showing last years recordings to cover last few weeks, we still had tutorials online (not a practical based subject) as it was a sudden change etc. Online exams will be easier for most of us (assuming you are somewhere you can work of course).
But do I want to pay for a following year where it’s just last years lectures again? Nope. Half the lectures did use new tools to do online lectures and we could type questions. Or recorded themselves for later viewing. But sticking up old stuff is not on for the new year if we are still online. Not that there is much we can do if they go that way!
Reply 5
Original post by Catherine1973
I am wondering what happens next term. Ie autumn. It’s fine to have had lectures just showing last years recordings to cover last few weeks, we still had tutorials online (not a practical based subject) as it was a sudden change etc. Online exams will be easier for most of us (assuming you are somewhere you can work of course).
But do I want to pay for a following year where it’s just last years lectures again? Nope. Half the lectures did use new tools to do online lectures and we could type questions. Or recorded themselves for later viewing. But sticking up old stuff is not on for the new year if we are still online. Not that there is much we can do if they go that way!

There is a lot more to universities than just lectures. We have library, computer and printing services and other practical, lab based resources that are essential to many, if not all, programmes. Our fees include access to all of these services and much, much more. We are denied access to these things yet we are still paying the same tuition fees. This is not right.

Seeing how we are dealing with a Conservative government, it's highly unlikely that they will allow us a reduction in fees. They are extremely frugal, except of course where it comes to their own salaries.
(edited 3 years ago)
I suppose I use none of those things (Bar borrowing books from the library) so different degrees get very different value out of their degrees (I get better value out of my fee as I do my degree over 2 years rather than 3 so get 15 hours a week rather than usual 12 of actual contact hours)
12 hours is minimal compared to other subjects, which all cost the same.

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