When we plan to stop a source of income, we need to find an alternative. This rule applies to an individual, a company, and even a country. Education exports are a lucrative source of income for many countries; they benefit both the education seekers and the education providers. This system has been running smoothly for the UK until now.
It is short since the UK decided to reduce the number of international student intake. The UK universities are already feeling their pockets light. Vice-chancellors have asked the UK government to allow them to raise tuition fees as the sector faces a financial crisis. Universities UK, which represents 141 British higher education institutions, wants some action to be taken now, or the global competitive advantage of the UK’s universities will decline.
England has not revised the domestic undergraduate tuition fees since 2017, which is capped at GBP 9,250. With time this amount has eroded in value. Universities in England spend between GBP 12,000 and GBP 13,000 each year teaching and supporting domestic undergraduates. Till now it was not much of a concern as tuition fees from international students were helping UK universities in maintaining the balance. Typically, the tuition fees of international students are much higher than domestic students and have become a lucrative source of income for many institutions. However, as the number of international students is reduced it is becoming difficult to maintain this balance.
Possibilities of Revising Domestic Tuition Fees
In the last fee revision in 2017, there was an increase of just GBP 250. It will be nearly impossible for the UK government to increase the fees by another GBP 2,000 to bring it to the level that is expected. If the government is aware of this gap and is not taking any steps to overcome this shortfall, it may mean that it does not have sufficient funds to support the ailing institutions. They cannot expect students to foot the bill of the university funding crisis.
Increasing fees by nearly 20-30% to reach the level asked means the burden on students will increase since students are from varied financial backgrounds, including from the poorest section. Increasing that much fees is just unthinkable for the government. Students need money to study, but institutions also need money to teach, and this is not coming as the government sticks to its plan to reduce international students intake.
It is not just that the education system is suffering, but the research activities are also experiencing reduced activities because of decreased funding. Research activities from universities in 2022-23 sustained a GBP5.3bn deficit. These numbers are alarming, if the UK wants to be a country of the future and not the past, it needs to find ways to fund advanced scientific research.
The Unsolvable Puzzle of Exporting Education
The concerns raised by the UK institutions make it clear that international students have supported the education system. Even if we take a look at just the financial numbers, they have been the reasons for numerous job creation and the research activities carried out by the UK universities. Britain’s universities have maintained their dominance in the world’s top universities, however, money is required to keep that level.
Increasing tuition fees for domestic students is not a solution. International students pay a lot more than their domestic counterparts. In the first place, the government will not increase tuition fees for domestic students as it will lose public support which it gained by reducing immigration numbers. Even if the impossible happens and the tuition fees are raised, it will only be sufficient to support and teach domestic students and not conduct research activities. Even though the government is aware of the problem, it does not have any solution.
The only easy solution is to remove international students from the immigration statistics created by the UK. In this place, they can implement measures to ensure students return to their home country once their education is complete. It is only a matter of time before this crisis turns from yellow to red. Reducing immigration, or banning international students from bringing their families were considered as a quick fix to many problems.
Waiting for the Doors to Open Up
The financial battle the UK universities are fighting is real. Plus, the government does not have any practical solutions or it would have been implemented already. Sooner or later, they will have to look towards international students who spend billions in tuition fees and living expenses. For thousands of students who are aspiring to study in the UK, things look to be in their favour. Discuss your prospects of studying abroad with immigration consultants in Chandigarh.
The Takeaway
The money solution is money itself and not promises. The UK should have thought of an alternative for the funds that were coming through international students, before reducing it. The university funding model of the UK is already in turmoil after a drop in international students. Easing visa restrictions is one of the solutions being considered by the UK.
