As both Oxford and Cambridge universities reveal plans to charge the upper limit of £9000 tuition fees, we examine the reasons behind their decision and investigate the impact this level of fees will have on access to university for students from the poorest backgrounds.
As the Russell Group of the top 20 UK universities releases a pamphlet warning against taking “soft subjects” at A-level, we question their impact on university entrance, and ask why, if they are so frowned-upon academically, these subjects continue to be taught at all.”
As the government considers changing the timing of A-level examinations to allow students to apply for university with their actual (rather than predicted) results, we consider the pros and cons of the new scheme, including claims that it would be beneficial for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Following the controversial vote to raise tuition fees in England to £9000, the government has been quick to backtrack on the generous aid and access packages they outlined whilst desperately drumming up support and votes for the policy in Parliament. Latest to be thrown into doubt is the scheme whereby the government would waive a year’s fees for free school meals students, which now seems unlikely to be implemented.
A study released by the lecturers’ union has shown the devastating predicted impact of the government funding cuts and rise in tuition fees on some of the top UK Universities. The worst hit will be those offering innovative and cutting-edge arts and culturally creative courses and, most worrying of all, those offering the greatest number of places to students from disadvataged backgrounds. A third of UK Universities have been labelled “at risk”.
With the announcement that graduate unemployment has risen once again, we ask whether a university degree costing £40,000 of debt is a worthwhile accolade when it won’t even guarantee you a job. Would today’s school-leavers be better off going straight into work or practical apprenticeships rather than aiming for higher education?
The government has now unveiled its plans to raise tuition fees to a potential £9000, devastating students across the country, including many prospective applicants who may no longer be able to apply to university at all. We examine their decision and the impact it will have, on universities, students and the coalition government itself.
Is university in the UK really accessible to all? We examine the results of recent studies into the numbers of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds being accepted to top universities and consider potential ways of solving this perpetual problem.
