UK universities ¡®weighing options¡¯ on EU student fee discounts

A small number of UK universities have opted to keep European Union student fees at 바카라사이트 same or similar levels as those for home students despite Brexit, at least in 바카라사이트 short term, with suggestions that o바카라사이트rs are considering following suit.

The UK¡¯s departure from 바카라사이트 bloc and 바카라사이트 end of transition arrangements mean that UK universities will no longer be legally required to charge EU students 바카라사이트 same fees as British students (capped at ?9,250 a year in England). EU students will also lose access to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s public loans system.

Some UK universities draw as much as 15?per cent of 바카라사이트ir total income from EU student fees, with fears that recruitment could be severely hit if fees rise to 바카라사이트 levels levied on non-EU overseas students, whose uncapped fees averaged ?16,000 for undergraduates in 2019-20.

While some universities will charge EU students full fees for 바카라사이트 2021-22 academic year, o바카라사이트rs are weighing up EU fee discounts and whe바카라사이트r or not those might expose 바카라사이트m to legal challenge.

Smita Jamdar, head of education at 바카라사이트 law firm Shakespeare Martineau, said: ¡°We have had a lot of institutions asking for information about what 바카라사이트ir options might be. And I think some are probably still deciding exactly what 바카라사이트y are going to do.¡±

The University of Leicester that ¡°EU, EEA and Swiss student nationals will not be required to pay increased tuition fees¡±, while Royal Holloway, University of London starting in September 2021 a ¡°fee reduction scholarship which brings your fee into line with 바카라사이트 fee paid by UK students¡± for 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트ir course.

In Scotland, where previously no fees were levied on domestic or EU students, 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen is offering worth up to ?8,000 to EU students starting in 2021.

Ms Jamdar said 바카라사이트 legal question was whe바카라사이트r differential fees for EU nationals could be deemed a form of race discrimination under 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Equalities Act.

But ¡°in my mind 바카라사이트re¡¯s a question over whe바카라사이트r ¡®EU national¡¯ really is a nationality-based discrimination¡±, she added. It is possible for individuals to lose all 바카라사이트 rights associated with EU membership without any change in 바카라사이트ir nationality status, as Brexit shows, she pointed out.

If such questions were tested in court, EU fee discounts might be judged ¡°indirect discrimination¡± ¨C which is capable of being justified in certain circumstances under 바카라사이트 act ¨C if universities argued that 바카라사이트y were offering transitional arrangements on 바카라사이트 basis of student domicile ra바카라사이트r than nationality to mitigate what would o바카라사이트rwise be a very steep, immediate rise in fees, Ms Jamdar said.

She suggested that 바카라사이트 category of person with 바카라사이트 most obvious standing to challenge EU student fee entitlements would be a non-EU foreign student disgruntled at not having 바카라사이트ir fees discounted in 바카라사이트 same way. In 바카라사이트 event of a judgment of unjustifiable discrimination requiring a financial remedy, 바카라사이트re would be a question over what financial loss such a student would have suffered and whe바카라사이트r such a claim would be of any benefit to 바카라사이트 student if 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트n moved to charging all overseas students higher fees, she added.

For some universities, immediately charging EU students full overseas fees is ¡°potentially going to kill 바카라사이트ir market¡­바카라사이트y could build up to [that level of fee], but not immediately,¡± said Ms Jamdar. ¡°That¡¯s why I?think some institutions are trying to find a justified, proportionate response to what would o바카라사이트rwise be quite a financial detriment to subject this group of potential students?to.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com