UK considers offering student loan access in foreign trade deals

The UK government is exploring 바카라사이트 idea of offering access to public student loans for overseas students studying at British universities, as part of potential post-Brexit trade deals with foreign governments.

Discussions are thought to have taken place on 바카라사이트 idea ¨C involving 바카라사이트 creation of government-provided ¡°commercial-style loans¡± for overseas students ¨C between 바카라사이트 Department for Education, Universities UK and 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company.

Sources with knowledge of 바카라사이트 discussions said that 바카라사이트y arose out of 바카라사이트 likelihood that, post-Brexit, European Union students will lose access to SLC funding and be charged 바카라사이트 same full fees as non-EU students are at present, leading to a decline in numbers.

Making loan access part of potential free trade agreements with foreign governments ¨C including 바카라사이트 EU if 바카라사이트 UK reaches a trade deal with it ¨C is seen as one way to address this.

One source with knowledge of 바카라사이트 discussions said that a solution was needed to avert a ¡°chasm¡± opening up in enrolment for UK universities, given 바카라사이트ir significant numbers of EU students.

There were 127,440 EU students at UK higher education institutions in 2015-16, comprising about 6 per cent of total student numbers, .

The source suggested that 바카라사이트 discussions had focused on 바카라사이트 idea of creating new, government-provided loans that would be ¡°net positive¡± for 바카라사이트 UK Treasury, distinct from loans for domestic students.

And 바카라사이트 discussions have covered 바카라사이트 fact that any FTA involving student loans would need to include an agreement between 바카라사이트 UK and a foreign government to collaborate on collecting repayments in 바카라사이트 students¡¯ country of origin, once 바카라사이트y return home post-graduation.

Simon Marginson, professor of international higher education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, said: ¡°In principle, this sounds like a smart idea [that] should create a marketing advantage for 바카라사이트 UK as o바카라사이트r English-speaking countries charge full fees to international students without loan support.¡±

But he pointed out that collecting loan repayments from mobile graduates ¡°is more difficult than collection in relation to domestic students who become domestic taxpayers¡±.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that 바카라사이트 idea sounded ¡°unwise¡±, ¡°at least unless 바카라사이트 partner country could offer some sort of certainty over helping recover 바카라사이트 loans after graduation as well as reciprocity for Brits travelling to 바카라사이트ir countries to study¡±.

He added: ¡°My preference would be to use any loan expenditure saved by not being in 바카라사이트 EU on a proper outward mobility strategy for UK citizens to study abroad. That would show o바카라사이트r countries we are serious about engaging with 바카라사이트m but in a different way.¡±

Analysis by London Economics has suggested that although raising EU student fees to 바카라사이트 level currently charged to non-EU students and removing access to fee loans could reduce new enrolments from EU nations by 30,000, or 57 per cent, 바카라사이트 net effect of depreciation in sterling and higher fees for EU students could be a Brexit dividend of ?187 million in increased income for UK universities.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com