UK university tuition fees increase after 8 years

The British Labour government has just announced a decision to increase university tuition fees in the UK for the first time in eight years, in the context of universities facing serious financial deficits.

University tuition fees in the UK will increase by 3%, from 9,250 pounds to 9,535 pounds (about 290 million VND) - Photo: PA

Tuition fees will increase by 3%, or £285, from £9,250 to £9,535 for the next academic year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced in Parliament. Previously, the tuition fee had been unchanged since 2017.

The decision to increase tuition fees comes amid challenges facing British universities, with the number of international students – a major source of income for many – plummeting due to the previous government’s tightening of visa policies.

Statistics show that in the first four months of 2024, the number of applications from international students decreased by 30,000 compared to the same period in 2023.

According to Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 higher education institutions, the UK's higher education sector is facing a deficit of up to £1.7 billion for teaching and £5 billion for research.

Professor Sally Mapstone, president of UUK, said the difficult financial situation could force some schools to cut training programs and even face the risk of closure.

Professor Shitij Kapur, principal of King's College London, said that if inflation had kept pace, tuition fees would now be between £12,000 and £13,000. However, it is worth noting that in Scotland, the majority of home students are exempt from tuition fees when studying at Scottish universities.

The Labour government's decision to increase tuition fees appears to go against Prime Minister Keir Starmer's pledge to abolish university tuition fees when he ran for the party's leadership in 2020. The Labour Party has criticized the Conservative Party for leaving behind heavy "debt" in many areas, from the economy , public health to the prison system.

Last week the centre-left ruling party announced plans for massive tax rises to add £40bn to the budget.

According to the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency, Vietnam ranked 20th in the number of international students in the UK in 2022 with 7,140 people (excluding secondary school).

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/anh-tang-hoc-phi-dai-hoc-sau-8-nam-20241105091202468.htm