‘Austerity never ended’: Durham students react to university tuition fee increases

Durham students have reacted to the announcement this evening that undergraduate tuition fees in England will increase in line with inflation from next year.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson also said maintenance loans are set to rise annually with inflation.

The government plans to eventually link tuition fees to higher education quality, meaning under-performing universities will be unable to levy maximum fees.

The changes apply only to universities in England, as education policy is devolved to Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Naturally, this means that this change will impact Durham.

Universities have warned of mounting financial pressures after years of frozen fees, with more than four in ten institutions in England believed to be running a deficit.

Sector leaders say income from tuition fees has failed to keep pace with rising costs, while a decline in international student numbers – who typically pay higher fees – has further strained budgets.

If you are a second or first year student, this decision will impact you. While no exact figures have been given for next year, the BBC suggests that it could be around £400 more (based on the current rate).

Here’s what Durham students had to say

The Durham Tab spoke to six Durham students about tonight’s news, which appears to have provoked a mixed reception among the campus community.

One student said the change feels like a “back step” and “a kind of betrayal.”

Another student expressed concerns surrounding the hike in fees, due to higher education already feeling costly: “Unis already so expensive, setting this precedent of price-raising worries me.” “Austerity never ended,” he added.

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Others spoke of how they’re already disappointed with their lack of contact hours, saying “it just seems like higher education is getting harder to access every year”. They said they felt “disappointed but not surprised.”

Another student expressed concerns that we’re not going to “feel that difference at uni.”

However, some feel the change will not be felt so palpably. One undergraduate said people have “misconceptions about how bad paying back your student loan can be.”

He went on to say that “a lot of people are discouraged from going to university because of the high student loan repayments”. In his view, it’s more “reasonable” if the debt is viewed as a “smaller tax”.

But the student argued it is only “justifiable” if the cost of education is “genuinely rising.” If the price hikes were being implemented to generate more money “for those higher up”, then he said he would be “extremely opposed”.

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