Student fees

My own son dropped out of university and worked very hard to set up his own business which now employs 8 people. Ironically he is now on an advisory board at the same university. However, he is shocked by how half-qualified most graduates are that apply for a job with him.

Oh well done the Welsh. They're providing support for the poorest and opening higher education to all. Just wish England would follow.

I think the whole system should be reviewed.
From my personal experience and from knowing how my own children used their time at university I think the courses could be halved in time. No need for such long holidays and so much free time (so called 'study time' .....?). Also perhaps more stringent reviews during the course. I know a number of young people who used this time 'enjoying the university of life' but left with poor qualifications and poor job prospects and therefore have never repayed their studen loan. Should these people benefit from 3 years of grants?
I absolutely agree that further education should be an investment in our country and open to all children who truly want to study and have the ambition to improve their life and others.

Live at home and do a proper apprenticeship instead.

...take a sabbatical to study for an MSc in your early thirties.

After earning and saving for ten years or more.

My Grandaughter in the USA has a Masters Degree and a Student Debt of $180,000, as she said, a very expensive piece of paper hanging on the wall !!!

There’s nothing to stop a young, or any other person, doing a much cheaper degree over a slightly longer time with the OU. Ideal for a young person happy to live at home and work part time whilst studying. Obviously this is a solely academic option rather than the previous experience in which living away from home was part of the (educational?) deal.

Like Franbern, I got my degree with no fees and a grant to live on. My children just got the degrees free but we were able to pay their living fees, which not all parents could do. I think the fact that I'd managed to get a degree and been funded meant my job paid enough to help my kids. The situation for my grandchildren is looking bleak in many ways, not just further education.

I think it is an investment for the country to educate free those able to benefit from the education, and all young people in some useful way. In other countries it is not just university but perhaps some technical or other practical education that the young people can get.

That's the reason my youngest son, the only one who was interested in going to university, finally turned down his offers, because he said he didn't want to be 25 and £50k in debt.

This hasn't stopped him getting a really good job - much to the chagrin of his colleagues, who all went to uni, and are doing exactly the same job, for exactly the same pay, and with the huge debt to repay

How is it possible that starting your adult life up to your armpits in debt is a good idea?!!??!? Absolute nonsense, and merely clarifies how desperately this country needs we’ll educated people with excellent thinking skills and strategies. No education is ever wasted and much, much more is clearly needed!

The Welsh grant was given to students who had a permanent Welsh address and also went to Welsh schools. It was very useful to the youngsters.

The USA fees are now $25k per year if you go to a Uni within your home State or $50K if you go outside that State. DGS is applying at the moment and has had one offer from a home state Uni and a second from a uni a few miles outside -but with a bursary offer as well.

Virtually all the politicians etc. who wax so lyrical about how it is fine to incur debt on our young people, received their own University education without having to pay fees.
Many years ago I used to read of the fee system in USA and find it totally strange and just another example of that primitive country.
When my eldest went Uni - not only did he not pay fees, but, he actually received a grant to help towards his living costs, etc.
Fortunately, all of mine managed to get through their Uni Bachelor courses without having the added problem of fees, even so it took some of the younger ones many years to pay back to loans they had taken out to cover living costs, although all of them also worked whilst at Uni.
I brought my children up with the firm teaching that the ONLY loan ever to be considered was for a mortgage. For everything else they needed to save until they could afford it. I could not quite take on board that the government was over-riding this teaching and telling these young people that they SHOULD take out loans.
These days, the fees have risen out of all proportion. There are still many countries which run the system we used to have of free higher education - they get it back in work years taxes, etc.
I was all for encouraging my g.children to look at Universities in such countries as Germany and Holland, but - of course this has now been stymied by Brexit.