Uni fees - student loan costs

[Looking for help]

Perhaps we should see a return to a rather old idea, namely a good scholarship for the deserving?

And who decides ?

[hermanmunster]

Perhaps we should see a return to a rather old idea, namely a good scholarship for the deserving?

And who decides ?

Agreed difficult

- could decide that you are only going to pay for training / courses / degree that the country needs ... what are these and what if people don't want to carry on??? How long do you tie them in ?? What if they want maternity leave??
- Could say only low parental income - is this fair as the debt is the kids anyway.

What else ... kid of those who have served the country in some way (it was some places do).. how would you define this???

[magwich2]

probably easier to begin by deciding what you would NOT fund - you could even have a referendum. Gosh, got carried away with myself there and thought for a moment we were living in a democracy!!
The referendum would of course only be open to those ages over 21!!

[hermanmunster]

probably easier to begin by deciding what you would NOT fund - you could even have a referendum. Gosh, got carried away with myself there and thought for a moment we were living in a democracy!!
The referendum would of course only be open to those ages over 21!!

reminds me Oregon where they had the public decide what the state were going to cover healthwise and what they would not cover ... didn't really work in the end but not sure about the next idea they had which was a lottery with the prize being medical insurance...

[Marylou]

I think the number of people applying for university courses will fall even further once the massive amount of debt becomes apparent and especially if the likelihood increases of the government selling the loan book so that the repayment terms are radically altered. If the numbers reach "pre-50% target" figures, could we eventually end up with a situation in which it will again be possible to fund university for anyone who wishes and is sufficiently qualified to go? This would be an ideal situation in theory - but at the expense of those who were forced to buy into the changes in the meantime.

[hermanmunster]

At one time it was about 15% and that was funded fee wise and means tested grants ... and the amazing deeds of covenant weeze - anyone remember that?

[Amber]

I think it's just an example of the way this country is going. We have had to take the university fee increases on the chin, all in the name of, actually I'm not sure what, because there appears to be no clear benefit to anyone....actual finding is falling to an all time low and our universities lag behind those in other countries. The whole thing seems ill thought out.
But what really worries me, because at least with university fees people can say, 'No I won't go !' - when it comes to health services for example, what's to stop the same philosophy ? And then what do we do

The trouble is, where should the money come from then? If you want a service which is free to all at the point of delivery in a country the size of ours you have to tax people to the skies...a social democratic welfare state like they have in Scandinavia is very expensive indeed to run and even there they are wavering as immigration starts to climb. We have a different kind of welfare state here which is targeted at lifting the poorest but isn't really designed to go on offering 'benefits to all' (I mean in kind as well as literally) - we just don't pay enough into it for it to achieve that end and we have an enormous and growing population. You do start to face a stark choice between high taxation or some kind of insurance schemes like they have in America and Germany. Or private companies investing (and then meddling) in what have traditionally been state-run services like education and health.

Once you start using private finance, then corporate vested interests start to endanger the independence and integrity of academic study. Sadly (imho) we already have free schools which are being funded from abroad; I imagine it is only a matter of time before higher education starts to sell out in the same way.

[Kesteven]

Nor me - I trust you don't have a child who will have a minimum 50K debt?

As a matter of fact I have two. But I don't expect other people to finance their professional development. Perhaps that doesn't seem selfish enough?

[Kesteven]

....actual funding is falling to an all time low and our universities lag behind those in other countries. The whole thing seems ill thought out.

Actual funding has never been higher. Check the figures.

And UK universities are world leaders in global rankings. 428,000 international students study here and contribute £8 billion to the UK economy annually. This has grown massively over the last decade.

[Looking for help]

OK I give up you win, its great sure it is