Will UK Tuition Fees Rise Keep Expat Students Abroad?

Half of UK universities are planning on charging the full £9000 in tuition fees as of 2012. With fees on the continent being as little as £1500 per year, the rise seems set to drive British Students abroad, and keep expats there.

London, UK (Pryce Warner International) April 11th, 2011 – A recent survey of 54 Universities has shown that over half of British Universities plan on charging £9000 per year in tuition fees from 2012. This will mean students could leave university up to £25 000 in debt.

Among expats in particular, it is expected that more and more will start to encourage their children to remain abroad to study.

As most European universities have much lower fees and expats generally have much better language skills, the advantages of studying abroad are equal or greater than those of studying in the UK.

Choosing whether or not to study abroad is becoming a more vital question for UK students too, as there are almost 2400 courses available in English on the continent alone.

At the moment there are an estimated 22 000 students abroad (roughly 1.7%) with Holland, Belgium and Spain proving to be the most popular destinations, as they have the golden combination of a range of courses in English, high quality education and low entry requirements.

In fact, the entry requirements are playing almost as large a role in students studying abroad as the massive hike in fees. With entry requirements in Britain so high that often many top students fail to get into the University of their choice or even one that can cater to their academic level, it is hardly surprising the European model is more attractive.
 

Many countries on the continent opt for a system whereby anyone can enter University with only the minimum of qualifications. The idea being that anyone can get the chance to receive higher education and prove their academic ability once there.

David Harra, A Senior Market & Investment Analyst with Pryce Warner International, an expat financial services company commented: “Between the fees rise, the quality of overseas education and the language level of their children, many expats are now telling us that they are planning on encouraging their children to study on the continent rather than the UK. It seems a Brain drain from UK Universities may be an unintended consequence of these fee hikes.”

Pryce Warner International Group provide International Asset & Investment Management, Independent Financial Advice & QROPS Overseas Pensions.

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By: Aneil Fatania
Financial Editor
Pryce Warner International Group
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