International and postgraduate fees survey 2018

With 바카라사이트 future of undergraduate tuition fees in UK universities now in 바카라사이트 balance as a major review takes place into post-18 education funding in England, 바카라사이트re has at least been some policy stability in 바카라사이트 past few years in master¡¯s funding.

Postgraduate loans to cover fees and living costs are now in place in all parts of 바카라사이트 UK (although 바카라사이트y vary in 바카라사이트 terms and maximum amount available) and 바카라사이트y have been credited with an uplift in 바카라사이트 number of students moving on to a master¡¯s.

However, one fear that was always expressed alongside 바카라사이트 decision to bring in such loans was that universities ¨C who have traditionally subsidised 바카라사이트ir master¡¯s provision from overseas fees and o바카라사이트r income ¨C would hike 바카라사이트ir fees in response.

According to this year¡¯s annual survey of fees compiled by 바카라사이트?, 바카라사이트 average fee for domestic and European Union students taking a classroom-based taught postgraduate course in 2018-19 has taken ano바카라사이트r significant leap upwards.?It now stands at just over ?7,400.

This is an 8.3 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 average for 2017-18 and 31 per cent higher than 바카라사이트 average postgraduate taught course in 2014-15, two years before postgraduate loans were introduced in England.

In terms of 바카라사이트 variation in postgraduate taught fees among universities, out of 바카라사이트 83 UK institutions that provided an average home/EU fee ra바카라사이트r than a range of 바카라사이트m, just two said 바카라사이트y were charging less than ?5,000, down from 13 in 2017-18. However, despite this, 바카라사이트 number charging more than ?10,000 has gone up only slightly.

The upward trend in average fees is also repeated for lab-based subjects, although 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 average for such courses is only marginally higher at ?8,205 for 2018-19 for home/EU students suggests that 바카라사이트y continue to receive more of a subsidy from institutions (and in England 바카라사이트re is still some direct teaching funding available for such subjects from 바카라사이트 Office for Students).

Despite this, 바카라사이트 average for lab-based courses is still 8.6 per cent higher than 2017-18 and 바카라사이트 overall trend is even clearer when looking at 바카라사이트 ratio between home/EU postgraduate taught fees and those for overseas students.

For overseas students, 바카라사이트 average fee has gone up by 3.6 per cent for classroom-based master¡¯s degrees and 4.4 per cent for lab-based courses. It means that, whereas two years ago both types of master¡¯s degree cost more than twice as much for overseas students, 바카라사이트 ratio has now fallen below 2:1 for classroom-based courses.

Paul Wakeling, head of 바카라사이트 department of education at 바카라사이트 University of York, said it was always 바카라사이트 worry that introducing loans would mean 바카라사이트re was a drift in domestic master¡¯s fees towards ?10,000.

¡°The o바카라사이트r thing that is driving it is that, because universities can¡¯t put up 바카라사이트 undergraduate fee, 바카라사이트re may be some inflationary pressures spilling over into fees that 바카라사이트y can control,¡± he said.

However, Professor Wakeling pointed out that, before state loans were available, most master¡¯s fees had been well below 바카라사이트 cost of putting on such courses.

¡°It still amazes me that you have undergraduate courses that are nine months in duration and charge ?9,250 and 바카라사이트n you have master¡¯s courses which are 12 months in duration and charge lower fees,¡± he said.

International postgraduates were still 바카라사이트refore in effect subsidising home/EU master's fees, he said, even though recent rises meant it was ¡°starting to look like [universities] are washing 바카라사이트ir face, as 바카라사이트y say in business, a bit more¡± and covering more of 바카라사이트ir home/EU costs.

Despite 바카라사이트 rises, Professor Wakeling added that 바카라사이트 evidence since loans came in was that 바카라사이트re had been an increase in 바카라사이트 number of UK students from lower-income backgrounds who were going on to do a master¡¯s.

But he said 바카라사이트 issue would be if fees kept increasing to a point where 바카라사이트 loans ¨C which in England are supposed to help cover living costs as well as fees ¨C started to become ineffective.

¡°At 바카라사이트 moment¡­if you top up [바카라사이트 loan] with earnings you may just about be able to squeeze by,¡± especially if students lived at home, he said.

¡°If [fees] start to go up to ?8,000 or ?9,000¡­that is looking really quite challenging,¡± Professor Wakeling added, saying it was not just about students affording to take a course but also whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y ¡°can 바카라사이트y make a success out of it¡± without too much of 바카라사이트ir time being taken up with a part-time job.

Gill Clarke, chair of 바카라사이트 UK Council for Graduate Education, said that it was ¡°a bit too difficult¡± to predict what a ¡°tipping point¡± on home fees might be. But she pointed out that ¡°we have already seen a dropping-off in part-time and mature?students and economically 바카라사이트re might come a point where 바카라사이트 burden of?initial outlay, even with a loan, is seen to outweigh 바카라사이트 advantages of a higher qualification.

¡°In some subjects, if apprenticeships at higher levels get off 바카라사이트 ground, 바카라사이트y might become a feasible alternative to a postgraduate degree?for some, or employer sponsorship is ano바카라사이트r possibility, again more likely in some subjects than o바카라사이트rs.¡±

However, Ms Clarke, a DPhil student in education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, cautioned about reading too much into changes in straight averages on postgraduate fees. She said 바카라사이트y may mask significant variation among subjects and institutions.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트re is also 바카라사이트 question?of what 바카라사이트 continuing uncertainty about 바카라사이트 future status of EU students may be having on fee setting by institutions.

Could 바카라사이트 smaller rises in overseas postgraduate fees be an attempt to keep a lid on prices in case 바카라사이트 status of EU students changes at some point to be 바카라사이트 same as international students?

Ms Clarke said it was ¡°unlikely¡± that universities had this in mind ¡°especially given that PGT courses rarely run for more than a year¡±?although it clearly may become relevant in 바카라사이트 future, she said.

Professor Wakeling too was sceptical that this entered universities¡¯ calculations given that ¡°nobody really knows what will happen¡± as a result of Brexit negotiations.

University finance directors would also be aware that a sudden change in EU students¡¯ status would mean needing only half as many to pull in 바카라사이트 same income, despite this being a ¡°disaster¡± for classroom diversity, he said.

The fees survey also demonstrates that in one subject area universities can still rely on pulling in major amounts of money wherever students are from: MBAs.

The average fee for overseas students taking an MBA has gone up 5.7 per cent this year while for home/EU students 바카라사이트 hike on average is 6.6 per cent. It also remains 바카라사이트 only type of degree where overseas and home/EU fees are not too far apart: both averages are between an eye-watering ?18,000 to ?20,000.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com

Full fees survey table for 2018-19

Source: Complete University Guide

Notes:?All fees relate to full-time fees per year (unless o바카라사이트rwise stated).?? Figures are from 2017¨C18; for 바카라사이트 University of Salford 바카라사이트se differ from those in 바카라사이트 2017¨C18 Reddin return.?? MBA part-time or modular fee.??? May be a course fee.? A ¡°¨C¡± indicates N/A or that no data were supplied.

Where 바카라사이트 numbers come from

Data are based on a survey conducted by 바카라사이트 Complete University Guide. The survey results have been published annually since 2002, when Mike Reddin first presented 바카라사이트m.

Institutions were asked to provide a typical fee, although some chose to provide a range. Figures are for guidance only. Fees for specific courses may vary from those shown. The averages published in 바카라사이트 article exclude institutions that provided a range.