After our presentation to Grade 11 parents on the application process in the UK several questions on tuition fees and the fee structure for International students and domestic students have cropped up. With this post, we hope to point families to some resources as they start researching universities and the fee structure. Please note that policies and fees change, and at the time of writing this post, the details are correct. We encourage families to peruse individual university websites and also to contact university representatives directly, for clarification and up-to-date information.
Broadly speaking, all country destinations have two categories: International and Domestic. Domestic students are termed as those who hold a passport of that country. So you could be an Australian citizen, having lived in Singapore your entire life, and you are still considered an Australian national for university fees. This is also true for Canada, most European destinations, New Zealand, and the US (in-state tuition for State Universities has an additional category; we will speak with students one-on-one about this). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published an e-book, this has a section on tuition fees policies for OECD countries for 2012.
The education department of the UK Government decides the categories of student fees. There are two broad categories however, UK/EU known as “home” and Non-EU or “Overseas”. The fees increase in the UK, for domestic students from £3,000 to £9,000 has everyone talking; even British Intellectuals are discussing the increase in tuition fees. With the increase, families are more concerned about what category they will fall into.
As mentioned earlier, usually universities look at a student’s passport and citizenship. However, in the UK, a student’s citizenship and residency status are evaluated. If you are an EU passport holder or a UK citizen, you may not instantly be considered “home status.” Usually families have to prove that they pay taxes in the UK or an EU country and have records of this for three years prior to a student enrolling in university. In addition, if you already hold citizenship of an EU country or the UK, and a parent works for a UK or an EU-based company, this will benefit the student’s claim for home status. Finally, if the family is only outside of their home in the EU or the UK (for two years or else), this should be highlighted to gain home status.
However, the classification of “home” fees can be complicated and we recommend that individuals contact specific universities to clear doubts. Families should also visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs website for detailed information on Home status vs. Overseas status
To assess whether someone is viewed as “Home” or “Overseas,” students may be asked some questions and will need to provide some information:
It is important for families to understand that a university can charge different fees for different courses. It is up to the university to decide what fees it will charge for the courses it offers. However, the Guardian University League Table lists the minimum and maximum tuition fees charged by each university for domestic and International students for the academic year 2012-2013.
The next question may be, is there financial aid available in the UK? The UK government wants to ensure people are not deterred from enrolling into university because of lack of funds. Bursaries and scholarships are forms of financial help for International and home status students. Students will have to look at individual universities to see if there are bursaries they are eligible for.
Home status students can also apply for a loan. The Students Loans Company administers all student loans. It manages student loans to EU students from any national UK student finance company. Students must apply to the Student Finance Company that is in the area they are from (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales). There’s also information on Student Loan Repayment.
Deciding where to study and what course to enroll in is a difficult task. Add to the mix the complication, for some, on fees category, and the university application process becomes an emotional and financial journey. We encourage families to find out all information about fees and additional costs (accommodation, transportation, food and so on) as students explore their options. To make it a little less difficult, we ask families to ensure they have open and frank discussions about several factors: location, course of study, and definitely about finances.
Good luck researching university options!
Broadly speaking, all country destinations have two categories: International and Domestic. Domestic students are termed as those who hold a passport of that country. So you could be an Australian citizen, having lived in Singapore your entire life, and you are still considered an Australian national for university fees. This is also true for Canada, most European destinations, New Zealand, and the US (in-state tuition for State Universities has an additional category; we will speak with students one-on-one about this). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published an e-book, this has a section on tuition fees policies for OECD countries for 2012.
The education department of the UK Government decides the categories of student fees. There are two broad categories however, UK/EU known as “home” and Non-EU or “Overseas”. The fees increase in the UK, for domestic students from £3,000 to £9,000 has everyone talking; even British Intellectuals are discussing the increase in tuition fees. With the increase, families are more concerned about what category they will fall into.
As mentioned earlier, usually universities look at a student’s passport and citizenship. However, in the UK, a student’s citizenship and residency status are evaluated. If you are an EU passport holder or a UK citizen, you may not instantly be considered “home status.” Usually families have to prove that they pay taxes in the UK or an EU country and have records of this for three years prior to a student enrolling in university. In addition, if you already hold citizenship of an EU country or the UK, and a parent works for a UK or an EU-based company, this will benefit the student’s claim for home status. Finally, if the family is only outside of their home in the EU or the UK (for two years or else), this should be highlighted to gain home status.
However, the classification of “home” fees can be complicated and we recommend that individuals contact specific universities to clear doubts. Families should also visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs website for detailed information on Home status vs. Overseas status
To assess whether someone is viewed as “Home” or “Overseas,” students may be asked some questions and will need to provide some information:
· Do you have permanent residence in your current country?
· Give details of countries in which you have lived with the dates.
· Do you own property / pay taxes / have medical insurance in the UK?
· Is your father’s / mother’s work contract temporary?
· Is your father’s / mother’s employer UK / EU based?
Please note that documentary evidence will be required for all claims.
· Arts courses: £7,000 to £9,000
· Science courses: £7,500 to £22,000
· Clinical courses: £10,000 to £25,000
It is important for families to understand that a university can charge different fees for different courses. It is up to the university to decide what fees it will charge for the courses it offers. However, the Guardian University League Table lists the minimum and maximum tuition fees charged by each university for domestic and International students for the academic year 2012-2013.
The next question may be, is there financial aid available in the UK? The UK government wants to ensure people are not deterred from enrolling into university because of lack of funds. Bursaries and scholarships are forms of financial help for International and home status students. Students will have to look at individual universities to see if there are bursaries they are eligible for.
Home status students can also apply for a loan. The Students Loans Company administers all student loans. It manages student loans to EU students from any national UK student finance company. Students must apply to the Student Finance Company that is in the area they are from (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales). There’s also information on Student Loan Repayment.
Deciding where to study and what course to enroll in is a difficult task. Add to the mix the complication, for some, on fees category, and the university application process becomes an emotional and financial journey. We encourage families to find out all information about fees and additional costs (accommodation, transportation, food and so on) as students explore their options. To make it a little less difficult, we ask families to ensure they have open and frank discussions about several factors: location, course of study, and definitely about finances.
Good luck researching university options!
