More students move abroad as rents and fees rise

Published 30th Aug 2011

More students are moving abroad to study this year as UK rents and fees rise.

Competition for university places is high in advance of next year’s tuition fee increase to £9,000 in the UK. With over 189,000 students entering Clearing after rejected UCAS applications, the idea of studying abroad is appealing to an increasing number of young people.

Living costs are a factor, too. London rents are rising even higher and there is an acute shortage of properties at the lower end of the market. It’s no surprise, then, that there has been a surge of student interest in moving abroad.

"We are seeing applications increase in relation to European universities, American universities and even further afield," commented Janette Wallis, a senior editor at The Good Schools Guide.

Many universities across Europe, in both Scandinavia and Germany, are still free for EU students, while tuition fees are just £200 per year at some French institutions. The Netherlands, too, are significantly cheaper than the UK, with fees of only £1,400. The price difference alone is enough to attract undergraduates, while the experience earned overseas can be a deciding factor.

Mark Hartland is studying business administration in Oslo: “I got a job working for an international real estate company in Norway,” he told The Independent. “I had a place to do a business degree at Portsmouth, but things were going so well in Norway – and I was earning more than I ever could have done in the UK – so I decided to stay.”

Halls of residence are rare on European campuses, so students have to hunt for private houses to live in. But with Spanish VAT on new homes halved and house prices dropping across Europe, living costs abroad are at a tempting low. Graduate career options on the continent can also offer an attractive alternative to working in the UK. The Independent sums it up best: “There’s never been a better time to head abroad for your studies.”

Source: ' TMC '

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