Edinburgh University Criticised For Charging Top Tuition Fees

Edinburgh University

First Posted: 06/09/11 14:31 Updated: 06/11/11 10:12

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Edinburgh University has come under fire after announcing it would charge up to £36,000 for a degree to non-Scottish students in the UK.

The university made headlines by becoming the most expensive university to study at in the UK, despite not making the top 10 in the 2012 university league tables.

The University and College Union Scotland (UCU) criticised the move and said setting the variable fee at the highest level could decrease the number of English students opting to study at the university. As a result, this would lead to the loss of funds universities are desperately attempting to maximise in the face of funding cuts.

The UCU added they believe a financially neutral system for individual universities is a better option which would discourage universities pricing themselves out of reach for the majority of UK students.

Edinburgh has defended itself saying the fees would be offset by £6.7m worth of bursaries for non-Scottish undergraduates, which would be heavily funded by the higher fees.

But UCU Scottish official Mary Senior said: "Though Edinburgh are offering bursaries, most student won't qualify for these so only the wealthiest will consider Edinburgh as an option. Our worst fears of most Scottish universities ignoring the minister and charging the highest possible fee have come to fruition."

Cabinet secretary for education Michael Russell made a statement to the Scottish Parliament in July saying universities could charge variable fees for other UK students but said he expected Scottish Universities to show restraint and not charge the full fee. He suggested £6,375 as a "competitive figure".

Heriot-Watt and Aberdeen Universities have also charged full fees, albeit capped for a maximum of three years to £27,000.

A loophole in European Law means Scottish students will not be charged the new fees, which amount to £9,000 per year.

Huffington Post UK have contacted Edinburgh University about the rise in fees but have not yet had a response.

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Edinburgh University has come under fire after announcing it would charge up to £36,000 for a degree to non-Scottish students in the UK. The university made headlines by becoming the most expensi...
Edinburgh University has come under fire after announcing it would charge up to £36,000 for a degree to non-Scottish students in the UK. The university made headlines by becoming the most expensi...
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AllenShone
17 Fans
00:00 on 07/09/2011
What's worse is that under this same European law, not that I disagree with its primary reason, is that any EU national must be charged at the same rate as any local student. Hence tuition is free in Scotland for any EU national except those from the rest of the UK. A technicality that arises because the separate union states are not individual EU members. The best reason if any to attend excellent and much cheaper universities on the continent. A prospective student from the UK tried to address this matter in court, does anyone know the outcome of this?
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MolliBlum
1658 Fans
15:10 on 07/09/2011
I think that case you mention is still pending.
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Ben Wilson
I still can't believe it wasn't butter
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14:43 on 06/09/2011
I would urge all students to just not go to university, put it off for a few years. Demand is a significant factor in rising costs, and you can absolutely sure if unis are boycotted prices will come down. People are flocking to uni in ever increasing numbers and you can be sure that will be treated as exhonoration for the new costs. It's doesn't matter how much you moan, only what you do. That's politics!
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MolliBlum
1658 Fans
15:02 on 07/09/2011
Sadly, putting it off for a few years is probably not an option for most young people eager to pursue their education or hoping to obtain a qualification that will further their careers. On the other hand, many mainland European countries have relatively affordable university systems -- the language barrier may in some instances require an extra year of tuition, but on the whole, the curriculum is often flexible enough to allow students to work their way through university. So, instead of putting it off for a few years, they should just vote with their feet.
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