Cost of higher education is insane

[Skeptisk]

I am just helping my daughter look for accommodation for university for next year. The sums involved are incredible. Around £250-300 a week for a small room (14-16 sqm). Then there are tuition fees and living expenses on top of that. Overall it is around £30,000 a year.

I first went to university in the 80s and was fortunate enough to get a full grant and didn’t pay tuition fees. I just checked online at my grant was £1430 a year. That had to cover accommodation and living expenses (mainly cigarettes and beer!) I’ve also checked online and the current value of £1430 is around £4.5-£6k depending upon the website.

How is it that education is now 5 times as expensive? I was from a working class family and didn’t get a penny of support from my family. I am not sure I would have gone to university if I had had to find £30k a year.

In many other countries people go to their local university and live at home. I am surprised more people don’t do that in the UK.

[Tigerj]

Must be somewhere pretty expensive, I just looked up my old halls. It’s £160 a week, in the year just gone, for an ensuite with bills and a bus pass included.

Doesn’t seem awful given that’s all your utilities and has security etc in site.

[wildoliver]

Financially at 1-1.2k a month rent for a room you're well in to the territory that for the right person with the right abilities of parental help you would be better off trying to buy a starter home within commutable distance and start building a life wherever they decided to study, rent a room out to a mate, nothing flashy just a 2 up 2 down, but student accomodation is rarely flashy anyway. Would be a much better investment than money on rent plus it gets rid of the need to come home over hols and they can look for a job over summer etc. locally.

You can't help but feel for those capable of that, it would be a hell of a head start in to adulthood.

[crofty1984]

Wow, My rent for a room was somewhere between £60-£80 a week, that was only in 2003!

[vikingaero]

When I was at Uni in the late 80's/early 90's I got a full grant of almost £6k (because of the way my Dad structured his self-employment) and this was a maintenance grant that did not need to be repaid. In my final year I even saved about £2k of it!

I have Vikingette1 who finished Uni in August, and Vikingette2 in her third year placement year. £250 for student accomm is about the norm in a standard provincial city. If you're in London you can get student accomm with a view of The Shard for about £350!

Check out Vita Student Flats for luxury: https://www.vitastudent.com/en/cities/manchester/

If you're realistic and get a part time job, you can have a pretty decent student life with a combination of wages and loans.

[The Grouch]

I work in academia and struggle to defend the costs! The cost of student accommodation is a joke across the sector to be honest. The costs I've seen being charged is eye-watering. How much would a 1 or 2 bedroom flat cost in the same area? If £1200 a month or less then that's what I would look at- at least they get the whole place rather than a single bedroom. Tuition costs are the consequences of government funding being cut and costs of delivery increasing. Sadly, the whole sector is struggling here and we will start to see the value for money declining.

My advice to most is to look at level 6 apprenticeships, though not suitable for all career aspirations. Largely removes the 'University experience' too, though I don't think young adults are out boozing and clubbing as previous generations, so they might not miss much.

[Skodillac]

Students borrow it, then pay it back if and when they can afford it, in small increments over a long period. You don't have to "find it". It's not a traditional debt either, and it gets written off after a certain period if not repaid. It's more a graduate tax than a debt.

Which isn't to say I agree with the system, I'm just explaining it.

It being set up this way has led to colossal inflation of accommodation costs in particular with purpose built luxury accommodation being provided by the private sector, which didn't exist before, and is enormously attractive to today's 18 year old - including on site gyms, all that jazz, a stark contrast to my 80s prison cell style University accommodation, followed by condemnable Victorian terraced housing with an interesting range of exotic flora, fauna and fungi growing in various corners.

Vote for market led political parties, get the market applied to everything, even where it shouldn't be. We seem unable as an electorate to learn. It's all "we don't want socialism, nobody should be given something for nothing", then crying when when we don't get it.



I've got one in University, and another hopefully going next year. The support costs for me are like a Christmas present compared to the private school fees we my wife chose to pay for their entire educations from age 5 to 18. I'm looking forward to my retirement in a bedsit in Luton.

It is, as they say, what it is. It doesn't change until we do something about it.

[Matthen]

Can't speak for all unis, but mine put serious money into accomodation buildings, and used them to grow their bottom line (tuition fees being frozen for years and years). Prices went up something like 40% in the 7 years I was there.

Students Union were useless and did nothing -

Side effect was all student housing within 2mi also cranked their pricing by 40% - you had to live miles and miles away to find something sensible. (I ended up in renting a flat in a local village for less than the cost of a room on Campus - as a postgrad, you can do stuff like that; would suck as a fresher.

[Terminator X]

It must be close to or even over the point where it's not worthwhile? My son was at Uni during the COVID years ago not great fun for him but even then racked up a bill of £50k or so. Will he ever earn enough to pay that off ...

TX.

Edit - accommodation and fees.

Edited by Terminator X on Monday 6th January 12:39

[davek_964]

wildoliver said:

Financially at 1-1.2k a month rent for a room you're well in to the territory that for the right person with the right abilities of parental help you would be better off trying to buy a starter home within commutable distance and start building a life wherever they decided to study, rent a room out to a mate, nothing flashy just a 2 up 2 down, but student accomodation is rarely flashy anyway. Would be a much better investment than money on rent plus it gets rid of the need to come home over hols and they can look for a job over summer etc. locally.

You can't help but feel for those capable of that, it would be a hell of a head start in to adulthood.

It's what a friend of mine did. Son went to Nottingham university, so they bought a house. It was big enough that I think 3 or 4 of them lived there, and the rent from the other students paid the mortgage.
He left uni a year or two back, now back home (with a job in London) - for now, I believe it's still rented out to students.

[Mammasaid]

Terminator X said:

Will he ever earn enough to pay that off ...

TX.

Does it matter? No

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student...

[mdw]

Supply and demand. We sold off 3 student let's last year which was 8 rooms all are now let as family homes. The return for dealing with the mess and agro of students was not worth it. For example not using the plate cover inside the microwave and exploding food over so much of the inside of the microwave it was sparking. I picked it up at the end of the term cleaned it and it works perfectly. As a generalisation they just walk out at the end of June and leave the house full of their crap. They drain fat down the sink which then needs unblocking. They leave bags of waste food in the house and then complain about ants. All these have to be dealt with at our cost.
I told our letting agents owned by the students union that they should run a short course at the beginning of each term on how to live in rented accommodation. They looked at me like I had threatened to kill their cat.

[vikingaero]

mdw said:

Supply and demand. We sold off 3 student let's last year which was 8 rooms all are now let as family homes. The return for dealing with the mess and agro of students was not worth it. For example not using the plate cover inside the microwave and exploding food over so much of the inside of the microwave it was sparking. I picked it up at the end of the term cleaned it and it works perfectly. As a generalisation they just walk out at the end of June and leave the house full of their crap. They drain fat down the sink which then needs unblocking. They leave bags of waste food in the house and then complain about ants. All these have to be dealt with at our cost.
I told our letting agents owned by the students union that they should run a short course at the beginning of each term on how to live in rented accommodation. They looked at me like I had threatened to kill their cat.

I imagine most Student Accommodation would be much cheaper if they treated it like a normal house and fixtures and fittings did not require renewal or replacement so often.

One place that V1 rented had signs in the showers: "You can pull your hair out of the shower drain or be charged £60 per visit for us to do it."

V2 was renting summer accommodation in Canada Water. At the end of the tenancy, most of her flatmates had left and she was left with the mess, rotten food in the fridges, plates full of food. There was a £50 cleaning fee per room (6 rooms to a flat) and she said most of the rich students considered it a trivial cost. She made a complaint to the block manager and get her to view her room and parts of the kitchen and the manager agreed that she shouldn't have to pay or tidy up.

Students and scum social tenants are very similar - they will forget their key and kick a door/window in, and claim it was vandalised.

[Downward]

Landlords.

Their opinion, Find somewhere else.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-5...https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-5...

Used to work near back in 2000’s and it was pleasant. Now a rat infested st hole.

[boyse7en]

Skeptisk said:

I am just helping my daughter look for accommodation for university for next year. The sums involved are incredible. Around £250-300 a week for a small room (14-16 sqm). Then there are tuition fees and living expenses on top of that. Overall it is around £30,000 a year.

I first went to university in the 80s and was fortunate enough to get a full grant and didn’t pay tuition fees. I just checked online at my grant was £1430 a year. That had to cover accommodation and living expenses (mainly cigarettes and beer!) I’ve also checked online and the current value of £1430 is around £4.5-£6k depending upon the website.

How is it that education is now 5 times as expensive? I was from a working class family and didn’t get a penny of support from my family. I am not sure I would have gone to university if I had had to find £30k a year.

In many other countries people go to their local university and live at home. I am surprised more people don’t do that in the UK.

I'm in the same position as you, with Daughter 1 heading to uni next year (hopefully). £250+ per week for accommodation sounds pricey, as we have visited Plymouth, Bristol, Cardiff and Worcester unis and a standard room there is £175 with the posh ones around £200 pw. Still eye-wateringly expensive for a bedroom and shared kitchen but it is what it is. When I was at Uni it was £30 per week for a room in a shared house, with the mould, damp and broken windows thrown in for free!


Would love D1 to stay home and do local uni, but the closest is 60 miles away and doesn't do the course she wants to do, so its not always practicable.

[Road2Ruin]

Skeptisk said:

I am just helping my daughter look for accommodation for university for next year. The sums involved are incredible. Around £250-300 a week for a small room (14-16 sqm). Then there are tuition fees and living expenses on top of that. Overall it is around £30,000 a year.

I first went to university in the 80s and was fortunate enough to get a full grant and didn’t pay tuition fees. I just checked online at my grant was £1430 a year. That had to cover accommodation and living expenses (mainly cigarettes and beer!) I’ve also checked online and the current value of £1430 is around £4.5-£6k depending upon the website.

How is it that education is now 5 times as expensive? I was from a working class family and didn’t get a penny of support from my family. I am not sure I would have gone to university if I had had to find £30k a year.

In many other countries people go to their local university and live at home. I am surprised more people don’t do that in the UK.

That is a lot of money for rent, you must be talking London, or something gold platted. My eldest is at Winchester, not cheap, and is currently paying £534 per month (bills included), for a nice shared house.

[Byker28i]

Skodillac said:

Students borrow it, then pay it back if and when they can afford it, in small increments over a long period. You don't have to "find it". It's not a traditional debt either, and it gets written off after a certain period if not repaid. It's more a graduate tax than a debt.

or it's 7.3% interest until you repay it, or it's written off after 30 years...

[vikingaero]

boyse7en said:

Skeptisk said:

I am just helping my daughter look for accommodation for university for next year. The sums involved are incredible. Around £250-300 a week for a small room (14-16 sqm). Then there are tuition fees and living expenses on top of that. Overall it is around £30,000 a year.

I first went to university in the 80s and was fortunate enough to get a full grant and didn’t pay tuition fees. I just checked online at my grant was £1430 a year. That had to cover accommodation and living expenses (mainly cigarettes and beer!) I’ve also checked online and the current value of £1430 is around £4.5-£6k depending upon the website.

How is it that education is now 5 times as expensive? I was from a working class family and didn’t get a penny of support from my family. I am not sure I would have gone to university if I had had to find £30k a year.

In many other countries people go to their local university and live at home. I am surprised more people don’t do that in the UK.

I'm in the same position as you, with Daughter 1 heading to uni next year (hopefully). £250+ per week for accommodation sounds pricey, as we have visited Plymouth, Bristol, Cardiff and Worcester unis and a standard room there is £175 with the posh ones around £200 pw. Still eye-wateringly expensive for a bedroom and shared kitchen but it is what it is. When I was at Uni it was £30 per week for a room in a shared house, with the mould, damp and broken windows thrown in for free!


Would love D1 to stay home and do local uni, but the closest is 60 miles away and doesn't do the course she wants to do, so its not always practicable.

The accommodation sounds expensive, but is cheap when you break it down. WiFi included, bins included, many of them have laundry and gyms onsite, concierge/security and the biggie - unlimited gas/electricity/water. D

[Countdown]

I'm surprised more people don't do Degree Apprenticeships.

People will argue that they want the "Student experience" (living away from home, socialising etc) which is fine but the taxpayers shouldn't be obliged to fund it.

[boyse7en]

vikingaero said:

The accommodation sounds expensive, but is cheap when you break it down. WiFi included, bins included, many of them have laundry and gyms onsite, concierge/security and the biggie - unlimited gas/electricity/water. D

Wifi is included, laundry is generally £5 a go, which would be roughly once a week if she wants to be presentable, or once a month if she embraces the student lifestyle. Gyms are around £20 a month in some places, and in others it would be free as she is doing a medical degree. Not sure why medi students get free gym, but it would be a nice bonus.

The really annoying part is that she will be doing two 5-week blocks of on-site tuition each year, which means that she would have to move into temporary accommodation nearby. That means she/we will be paying £200 a week for a room at the uni she isn't living in, and at the same time paying another £200 per week for a room near the hospital.

Edited by boyse7en on Monday 6th January 14:44