Top-up Fees May Leave Students with £15,000 Debt

28 Jan 2005

A study by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) warns that student debt may soar by as much as 70% due to top-up tuition fees. The research also predicts that debt growth would be greatest for disabled students, because they would be less able to work to pay their bills.

The report concludes that the average student will be in around £15,000 of debt when they complete their course, compared with estimates of £9,744 for current students.

At present, UK undergraduates pay tuition fees of about £1,150 a year, but under the Government’s controversial reforms this sum will rise to a maximum of £3,000 from 2006.

The NIESR report suggests that undergraduates who do not get financial help are already being forced to work longer hours, or take on extra jobs, in order to earn more money since the fees were introduced. The study also found that the number of students living at home has increased since tuition fees were introduced.

Hilary Metcalf, senior research fellow and author of the NIESR Report, said “immediate debts” have already resulted from the fees that are currently being charged. Ms. Metcalf added: “If the same happens with the £3,000 per year top-up fee, student debt will triple.”

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