By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:54, Monday, 24 September 2012

As the new university term gets underway there are fears the tuition fees are forcing students into work to make ends meet.

With fees of up to £7,850 – plus rising living and rent costs – student union reps say some are priced out of education and others are taking jobs which see them working when they’re not studying.

Matthew Tennant, a spokesman for the Students Union with the University of Cumbria, said the hike in annual tuition fees – set to rise to £8,250 for new students in 2013 – could have a dramatic effect on students studying at the university’s campuses.

“In my opinion the new university funding system is an absolute mess, it’s a bureaucratic and organisational nightmare,” he said.

“Applications are down across the country.

“Students expect more but the universities get less money per head so the level of service has probably gone down.

“Some institutions will thrive and some will fail but the people who will lose out will be the young people of tomorrow.”

While UK applications to study at university were down 8.9 per cent overall, Cumbria suffered a 5.7 per cent drop from 8,286 in 2011 to 7,811.

Matthew said he feared the rising cost of living was playing a role in the drop in applications.

“From my own experiences, I worked in my first, second and third year at a bar in town until five, six or 7am in the morning,” said the 22-year-old drama graduate.

“I couldn’t have survived without a job, and rent prices go up and up and up every year. We paid £52 per week for our house but some students are paying £97 per week so it’s no wonder students are being priced out of higher education.

“Maybe 65 per cent of our students are trainee teachers and nurses who go into placements for six, eight or ten weeks during term, so how do we expect them to work part-time?

“It’s completely impractical especially at weekends when they are trying to get work done.”

Matthew believes the university experience isn’t only about the jobs students get after graduating.

He said: “All we hear is employability, employability, employability but we don’t hear about the social benefit of education beyond getting a job.

“I do hope the government starts talking about higher education again.

“I’d like to appeal to local MPs to start taking an interest in universities again as some of us are really struggling.”

First published at 11:24, Monday, 24 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk