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High tuition fees are driving postgraduate students abroad where they can study in English for a fraction of the price, says David Brill
A rise in the numbers of UK masters students seeking cheaper courses in Sweden and the Netherlands has prompted the National Union of Students to call for more affordable courses at British universities.
So far, the numbers involved are a trickle compared to the nearly 367,000 British postgraduates in UK universities and the 45,800 European Union students who come to the UK for masters and other postgraduate courses. But the competition could spell trouble for UK universities, which have come to rely heavily on postgraduate fees from overseas students.
Sarah Harrison, 22, who earlier this year received a bachelor degree from the University of St Andrews, said the cost of studying for a masters in the UK had forced her to look elsewhere. Next week she begins a masters in international studies at the University of Uppsala in central Sweden.
"I was told it was going to cost about £13,000 altogether to come to King's College, London for the year. I just didn't have that money," she said. "I was always going to do a masters, but the funding has definitely pushed me out of the UK."
Founded in 1477, Uppsala is the oldest university in Scandinavia and one of the most highly respected. "The lecturers and professors are world class," added Ms Harrison, stressing that a qualification from Sweden was every bit as valuable as one from the UK.
For Kristina Lewis, the high cost of studying for a masters in conservation biology at Kent University - £8,000 - led her to Lund University in southern Sweden, where she is due to start a postgraduate degree in development and management.
The big draw to Sweden is that universities do not charge any fees. They also offer an impressive range of courses taught and assessed entirely in English. In the past 10 years, more than 130 British students have chosen Sweden as the place to further their studies, but with the average cost of a masters course in the UK now set at around £5,000, more British graduates could be tempted to head to Scandinavia.
It's a problem acknowledged by the NUS, which does not want financial considerations to force students' hands. "While some students make a pro-active choice to study abroad, NUS feels strongly that they should not be priced out of pursuing postgraduate studies in the UK," said Wes Streeting, the union's vice-president of education. "We firmly believe that UK postgraduate courses should be offered at an affordable rate."
Alec Forss, 25, recently returned from a year at Uppsala, having graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2003.
"I'm really surprised that more postgrads don't go abroad," he said. "All the books I read were in English and all the teaching was done in English, so the language simply isn't a problem. It was a really good experience - I'd recommend it to anyone."
Mr Forss, who had planned to stay at Birmingham for his masters, added: "It makes economic sense. There are no tuition fees in Sweden. You still have to pay living costs, but I calculated that the whole year was probably 50% cheaper."
University accommodation cost Mr Forss £250 a month, a price not dissimilar to that paid by students in the UK. At Uppsala, however, this monthly sum paid for a new room with en suite bathroom, television, free internet access and all bills.
Having experienced the Scandinavian education system first-hand, he said he was against tuition fees. "My girlfriend's from Finland and has just finished her studies. They get €450 (£300) a month as a free grant to study, for six years. Then they give you €200 on top of that as a loan if the €450 isn't enough. So I think that sums it up. They've got their priorities right there."
But Sweden is not the only option for students turned off by the postgraduate tuition fees in Britain. Masters courses in Holland start at €1,500 (£1,010) for the year, but many EU students are eligible for a €1,000 rebate. That could put the cost of a year's study at just £337, with average student living expenses between £450 and £650 a month, according to the Study in Holland website.
Holland is one of the most popular destinations for British students on the postgraduate exodus. Catriona Stirling, from Edinburgh, is about to undertake a course in international and comparative private law at the University of Groningen, which has accepted more than 300 British students in the past seven years.
Ms Stirling chose to study in Holland primarily to spend time abroad, rather than for economic reasons. "I wanted to do a masters and I thought it would be good to see another country as well," she said. "The lower cost is definitely a bonus though."
She went on: "Tuition fees are bad, generally, in terms of social mobility. Education - getting a good university degree and good qualifications - is very important. It's the number one thing that can help you get a better job, make more money and achieve more in life."
Sarah Harrison added: "A lot of other countries have an entirely different perspective on tuition and education to the UK. Over there it's given to you if you want to take the opportunity, whereas over here you only get the opportunity if you pay for it."
For more information, on studying in Sweden and Holland, see www.studyin.sweden.se and www.studyin.nl.
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