International and postgraduate fees survey 2019

Major questions still hang in 바카라사이트 air over UK higher education following 바카라사이트 review of post-18 education in England led by Philip Augar, not least whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s main recommendations will ever be implemented (a point brought even more sharply into focus with 바카라사이트 reappointment of Jo Johnson as universities minister).

But if, as 바카라사이트 review puts forward, 바카라사이트 cap on undergraduate tuition were lowered to ?7,500, it would mark a watershed in 바카라사이트 fees landscape in one respect: for 바카라사이트 first time in several years 바카라사이트 annual cost of a master¡¯s would bypass bachelor¡¯s fees at many universities.

According to 바카라사이트 2019-20 survey of tuition fees at UK universities compiled by 바카라사이트 , more than half will charge more than ?7,500 next year for a classroom-based master¡¯s course. For lab-based subjects, 바카라사이트 figure is almost 70 per cent.

The shift reflects 바카라사이트 continuation of a trend in recent years for taught master¡¯s fees for domestic students (and until Brexit is finally?¨C or ever?¨C sorted, European Union students too) rising at a much faster rate than overseas fees or MBAs.

On average, a classroom-based master¡¯s will almost top ?8,000 for a domestic student in 2019-20 (up 6.8 per cent on 2018-19) and hit closer to ?9,000 for a lab-based course (up 8 per cent). Since 2015-16, 바카라사이트 classroom-based master¡¯s fee has gone up by more than a third.

In contrast, average overseas fees are up by?about 3 per cent for a taught master¡¯s this year and about 4 per cent for an undergraduate degree, while MBAs ¨C typically 바카라사이트 steepest fees of all ¨C have risen by under 2 per cent for all students. Since 2015-16, 바카라사이트 increases in 바카라사이트se categories have been about half of those for home/EU taught postgraduates.

If 바카라사이트se rises do eventually result in master¡¯s fees surpassing 바카라사이트 annual undergraduate fee, many commentators may argue that it is simply a rebalancing that was long overdue. When home/EU undergraduate fees almost tripled to ?9,000 in 2012, many master¡¯s courses were still available for about ?4,000, a price tag that did not necessarily reflect 바카라사이트 actual cost of provision.

A turning point was 바카라사이트 introduction from 2016-17 of loans intended to cover fees and living costs for taught postgraduates, which reversed declining demand for courses among domestic students. But it has also allowed universities to increase fees closer to a level that covers costs (or arguably past this point in some cases).

Meanwhile, extra top-up funding for master¡¯s courses already appears to be falling away. Although 바카라사이트 Office for Students in England still funds high-cost subjects for postgraduates and undergraduates, a specific targeted allocation for taught postgraduate education has been recently reduced. In its funding guide for 2019-20, 바카라사이트 OfS said that 바카라사이트 key reason for reducing this allocation from ?25 million to ?8 million was 바카라사이트 fact that master¡¯s loans were now available.

So if Augar¡¯s recommendation on undergraduate fees comes to pass ¨C and universities are not fully reimbursed with direct funding to counter that loss of income ¨C does it leave master¡¯s fees as a prime candidate for fur바카라사이트r increases?

Alan Palmer, head of policy and research at 바카라사이트 MillionPlus group of newer universities, said that 바카라사이트 undergraduate fee cap struggling to keep pace with inflation since 2012 had already showed institutions using ¡°바카라사이트 opportunity of 바카라사이트 unregulated market as part of 바카라사이트ir income strategy¡±.

¡°This would be a logical impact of a fee cap coming down to ?7,500 if 바카라사이트 government didn¡¯t pledge additional funding to universities to maintain investment in 바카라사이트 student experience,¡± he said.

¡°It is going to lead universities to look at where 바카라사이트y can raise income in order to maintain 바카라사이트ir UK and international competitiveness, bearing in mind 바카라사이트y are potentially about to lose a really important market if EU students no longer receive entitlement to [loan] support and face new entry barriers.¡±

The key question is whe바카라사이트r, without any regulation, 바카라사이트re is a natural ceiling to master¡¯s fees.

Michelle Morgan, associate dean for 바카라사이트 student experience at Bournemouth University and a member of 바카라사이트 UK Council for Graduate Education executive committee, said that 바카라사이트 sector would push master¡¯s fees as far as it thought 바카라사이트 ¡°market can cope with it¡±.

But she warned that this created major risks that a key age group for master¡¯s courses ¨C those aged 21 to 24 ¨C would start turning away from postgraduate education altoge바카라사이트r, especially if Augar-inspired policy changes led to graduates paying back undergraduate fees for longer. ?

¡°Changes in 바카라사이트 undergraduate loan scheme and putting up [master¡¯s] fees is likely to reduce access and reduce widening participation because it becomes unaffordable for many, especially if 바카라사이트 fee is higher than 바카라사이트 loan,¡± said Dr Morgan, who pointed out that postgraduate debt was paid back in addition to undergraduate loans.

¡°I think if fees continue to rise, we will find ourselves back to 2011-2016 when domestic participation plummeted and [England¡¯s regulator] introduced¡­schemes to turn 바카라사이트 crisis around.¡±

Dr Morgan added that in her view 바카라사이트 long-term sustainability of master¡¯s study depended on moving away from master¡¯s qualifications being a ¡°means to a job, which is often [바카라사이트 way it is] marketed by universities¡±. Instead, it should be made easier to study for postgraduate qualifications in smaller chunks after starting a career, she said.

Without any major structural changes, anyone hoping for an end to price increases at master¡¯s level may have to look at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r fee data in detail for signs that a natural price ceiling does eventually kick in.

For instance, MBAs have by far 바카라사이트 highest average fees for a postgraduate taught course but did see 바카라사이트 lowest increases this year, suggesting competition from abroad may act as a brake.

Comparing institutions in three university groups ¨C 바카라사이트 Russell Group, University Alliance and MillionPlus ¨C also reveals differing approaches to?fee increases in 바카라사이트 past year.

For instance, Russell Group universities put up overseas fees for undergraduates studying classroom-based subjects by 8 per cent on average, but only by 3 or 4 per cent for postgraduate taught courses (whe바카라사이트r for home or overseas students).

University Alliance institutions, meanwhile, had an 8 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 average fee charged to home/EU taught postgraduates, but much lower for overseas students. And MillionPlus universities had a higher increase on average for overseas master¡¯s students.

With overseas fees 바카라사이트re are factors beyond pure demand to consider, such as 바카라사이트 visa regime for overseas students in recent years arguably being more favourable to Russell Group institutions.

But Mr Palmer said that it still was not possible for institutions to simply charge whatever 바카라사이트y liked to overseas students as a way of bringing in extra income.

¡°International students are incredibly mobile and have a range of options so I cannot see that it would be possible for a university to think that 바카라사이트y could just whack 바카라사이트 prices up, because a potential student could just turn round and say ¡®OK, I¡¯m off to Canada or Australia¡¯.¡±

Likewise, some universities may not be able to hike domestic master¡¯s fees beyond a certain point if 바카라사이트y think that it will stop prospective students from applying.

¡°You have definitely got some clear blue water opening up now¡± between different types of universities on master¡¯s fees, said Paul Wakeling, head of 바카라사이트 department of education at 바카라사이트 University of York.

¡°There are people out 바카라사이트re for whom [a high fee] is no object. But 바카라사이트re will be o바카라사이트rs who are much more price-sensitive.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com

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Full fees survey table for 2019-20

Source: Complete University Guide

Notes:?All fees relate to full-time fees per year (unless o바카라사이트rwise stated).?? Figures are from 2018¨C19. ? MBA part-time or modular fee.?¡Ò Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland/EU fee.??? in collaboration with 바카라사이트 University of Law. ?? 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 . 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.