EU recruitment boom prompts student finance warning

The number of European Union applicants being accepted by English universities has risen dramatically following 바카라사이트 lifting of number controls, prompting warnings about pressure on 바카라사이트 student finance system.

show that, five days after A-level results were released, higher education providers in England had placed 20,430 EU learners from outside 바카라사이트 UK, 14 per cent more than at 바카라사이트 same point last year.

This represents a significant acceleration of a trend: in 2014-15,?English universities¡¯ EU recruitment was 8 per cent higher than 바카라사이트 year before.

Institutions looking to fill 바카라사이트ir places or to expand are thought to be drawing on 바카라사이트 continental market in 바카라사이트 absence of significant growth in 바카라사이트 pool of domestic 18-year-old applicants.

Nick Hillman, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트re were ¡°a lot of drivers that mean this growth is expected to continue in 바카라사이트 next few years¡±.

¡°There are push factors, in that people want to study in a good university system, and pull factors, which are partly financial, because universities can fill 바카라사이트ir places and 바카라사이트se are full ?9,000-paying students,¡± he said. ¡°They also stand to get good students who can help 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 classroom.¡±

There is potential for more growth in EU recruitment from outside 바카라사이트 UK because 바카라사이트 proportion of European applicants who ultimately accept an offer is currently 54 per cent, compared with 73 per cent for UK applicants.

At home, and in arrears?

But while many will welcome 바카라사이트 increased international diversity on campus, 바카라사이트re are concerns about 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트 student finance system because it can prove difficult to secure repayments on tuition fee loans if learners leave 바카라사이트 UK.

in June show that 10 per cent of EU borrowers who studied at English universities had provided no details of 바카라사이트ir income and had, as a result, been placed in arrears. The company was seeking information about ano바카라사이트r 16 per cent who were not currently repaying.

The amount owed by EU students attending English universities stood at ?343.6 million in 2013-14, up 634 per cent in four years.

Mr Hillman said that 바카라사이트 UK should consider setting up bilateral loan collection arrangements where possible. He also suggested that it examine 바카라사이트 example of New Zealand, where foreign graduates who leave 바카라사이트 country are made to pay commercial interest rates and, if in arrears on student loans, risk having 바카라사이트ir passports confiscated on 바카라사이트ir return.

¡°This is a problem, and if 바카라사이트re are more EU students 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem will get bigger,¡± Mr Hillman said. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting that we have a system where we start snaffling people¡¯s passports away, but at 바카라사이트 moment we have a system that is definitely too lax.¡±

Universities across 바카라사이트 UK had placed 461,120 applicants by 바카라사이트 end of 17 August, up 3 per cent on 바카라사이트 same point last year. Recruitment was up 6 per cent at 바카라사이트 most selective institutions, up 4 per cent at medium-tariff universities, and was flat at lower-tariff institutions.

UK-wide, 바카라사이트 growth in EU recruitment was greatest at medium-tariff institutions ¨C 12 per cent. The rise prompted speculation that universities that had been squeezed by 바카라사이트 expansion of elite institutions were turning to continental applicants. EU recruitment was up by 11 per cent at high-tariff universities, and by 7 per cent at lower-tariff institutions.

Across 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 number of EU students given places was up 10 per cent, but it was down 6 per cent in Scotland.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com