'They're never getting their money back!' - Wolverhampton students react to sudden course price hike

Earlier this week the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced the first rise in tuition fees in England for almost a decade, a price that had previously been frozen at a maximum cost of £9,250 per year since 2017.

It comes after warnings about university finances as a result of capped tuition fees paid by domestic students and a significant drop in the number of overseas students.

In a nutshell, universities in England can increase maximum tuition fees for full-time courses from  £9,250 per year to £9,535 from next year.

The Department for Education has said tuition fees will increase in line with RPIX inflation (3.1 per cent) and the rises will come into effect in the 2025/26 academic year.

The new maximum tuition fee will apply to new students and those who are continuing their studies, the Government has said.

While some might find it easy to scoff at it - given the fact that it's an opt-in choice and teens don't need to go to university if they think it's too expensive - it does become yet another reason to put people off seeking higher education, knowing they'll be piled with even more debt for pursing their passion.

Today, students from the University of Wolverhampton have been discussing the rise, whether it's a good idea, a bad one, or not enough of a rise to be considered a reason to skip the educational pursuit all together. 

Some are indifferent because 'they are not getting their money back' anyway, others would prefer the rise to be axed but ultimately think it's still worth paying and others think the fees are causing more pressure and stress young people trying to improve their life. 

One of those students, Sally Dowen, 33, said it has been her dream to become a nurse, and, now in her third year, she has relished her chance to pursue that dream after spending her youth raising two children. 

The busy mum, from Walsall, has been working full time, studying and parenting all at the same time, and although the fee increase isn't a welcome one, she still backs further education and would recommend it. 

She said: "The announcement of the rise is disappointing - it's the same as everything, everything is going up and it will put people off coming to study. 

"I'm from a working class background and the thought of university seemed impossible - and it does to some now - but it is doable. 

"It's one of them, I'm more than willing to pay because I get the career at the end of it which is the ultimate aim - to become a nurse. 

"It is difficult, I'm a mum with two children and the debt is a big burden to leave with, but it's a price I'm willing to pay. It's been a dream I had to put on the backburner after becoming a mum when I was younger and I absolutely do not regret it. 

"I would say to anyone thinking of joining that yes, the loans are scary, but chase your dreams because it'll always work out in the end. 

"I wish there was more help from the government but I have a tutor that always said anything worth having is going to be hard, and that stuck with me."

19-year-old Luke Oldham, from Telford, is studying health and social care and as it stands, thinks university is 'pricey' but it 'is what it is'. 

Currently in his first year, he also said that as long as is not doubling or tripling, then it's not so bad.  

He said: "It's a bit pricey but it is what it is, going up next year? Well, it's already expensive so it can't get worse. 

'If they're not doubling it or tripling it, and it's a £1,000 extra over three years, then it's not awful."

Friends Idowu Jolaubi, 37, and Wale Oyemti, 39, both from Nigeria and now living in Wolverhampton, said the increase is 'not fair' on the young people trying to qualify for their dream jobs, the pair said it will mean some students will have to skip further education altogether. 

Wale Oyemti, who is studying a masters degree in artificial intelligence, said: "Increasing the fee for home and international students will cause them stress, it's a problem. 

"They should just keep the price at a reasonable rate, because some people struggle with the entrance fee alone, so adding to the amount makes it harder for people to complete their course without having to drop out."

Idowu, who studies data science, added: "I think it's about being considerate to people because increasing the fee will affect many people, particularly those leaving their home country to study in the UK - and that will affect the school as a whole. "

Sam Renshaw lives in Nottingham but studies at the University of Wolverhampton. He said putting the price up won't achieve anything if they're not going to recoup the cost anyway.

He said: "My thoughts on the rises is that they're redundant, my first degree gave me over £40,000 worth of debt that I'll never pay back, why are we digging a bigger hole for something I have never used, I have a degree that's worthless.

"Putting the price up is not going to achieve anything if they wont recoup the cost - why make people stress about a gigantic university debt that is increasing when they're never getting their money back?

"Either way, it puts a lot of stress on people with that much debt, being so young, not even knowing what you ant to do and getting a piece of paper you might not use anyway. 

"Realistically, putting it up won't make a huge difference, but that number still goes up, as does the interest, it doesn't make sense."