United Kingdom’s universities are experiencing significant financial difficulties due to restrictions on international student visas, leading to calls for an increase in domestic tuition fees.
According to President of Universities UK Sally Mapstone, all 141 member institutions are feeling the pressure as a result of these measures, which were implemented last year.
Mapstone emphasized the need for government support to sustain the UK’s world-renowned education system, warning that without action, institutions may be forced to cut courses and potentially close.
At a recent UUK conference in Reading, Head of King’s College London, Shitij Kapur, suggested that domestic tuition fees should be adjusted to between £12,000 and £13,000.
In response to these challenges, Labour’s Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson acknowledged the complexities facing universities, promising that these issues will receive the necessary attention and commitment. However, she cautioned that solutions may not be immediate or without difficulty.
In the first four months of 2024, there was a notable drop of 30,000 applications from international students compared to the same period in 2023.
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The total income for the British higher education sector in 2022-23 exceeded £50 billion, primarily derived from tuition fees and grants. International students, who typically pay higher fees, have been a crucial source of revenue for many institutions.
The financial strain is evident, with the higher education sector reporting a deficit of £1.7 billion for teaching and £5 billion for research.
The last increase in fees for domestic students was in 2017 when they rose from £9,000 to £9,250, and they have remained frozen despite rising inflation.
