180 UK student unions urge Government and universities to fix spiralling costs for international students

Calls for better controls on the way fees are charged to Britain's half a million international students

international students may face bonds under new government policy (SLU Madrid Campus)

Over 180 student unions from across the UK have signed an open letter to David Willetts, Vince Cable, vice-chancellors and universities calling on them to fix international students’ fees for the duration of their courses.

The campaign, launched by the National Union of Students (NUS), aims to ensure that of the approximately half a million international students studying in the UK, around 175,000 of them find their fees increased drastically while at university. They are also launching a petition.

The statement from the NUS said “these increases in fees are unfair, and exploit international students. They put the academic success of many international students at risk each year.”

Daniel Stevens, the international officer at the NUS, said: “The unpredictable increase in fees is unfair and exploits this group of students. They put the academic success of many international students at risk each year.”

“International students already pay astronomical fees for the privilege of studying here. They are an important part of the social, cultural and academic make-up of university life and should not be treated as cash cows."

Research from the NUS showed that over half of universities do not provide international students with details of their fees for the duration of the course, when they begin at university.

Further studies they conducted also showed that if fees go up more than £1,000 during the duration of their courses, students are three times more likely to consider leaving their programme.

Some universities increase tuition fees in line with inflation each year, but there is no legal requirement that do this. Inflation is currently at 1.9 per cent according to the Consumer Price Index. The Retail Prices Index (RPI) is currently at 2.8 per cent, as of January.

Other universities international students’ rates have seen jumps far beyond this.

The University of Sheffield’s website says that for international students, “tuition fees increase every year and an annual increase of between five per cent and eight per cent should be expected and budgeted for.”

The University of Sussex student union campaigned against the 12.8 per cent increase in international fees presented to their students, and managed to secure a reduction to a five per cent increase, and refunds for the students affected.

Sebastiaan Debrouwere, the president of the Kings College London student union, and his colleagues have fought to reduce fee increases of 15 per cent, making “a world of difference to thousands of students.” They were successful in convincing the university in November to free the “detrimental” fee increases between years of study to RPI inflation.

He encouraged other universities to adopt the same approach, and support the NUS campaign. “Unpredictable fee increases are not only unfair, they may also dissuade many international students from coming to the UK, or force students to drop out,” he said. “As an SU, we try to make sure our university is a fair and accessible institution.”

Dr Edmund Schlussel, a postgraduate trainee teacher and a member of the National Executive Council at the NUS, said: “Unregulated, uncapped international students fees put a pressure upwards on the price of fees for home students too.

“Fixing fees and matching them with fees for home students would make study more available for both home and international students and help make sure the courses are not determined by what will make the most money for the university.”

Paul Suciu, a campaigner for international and EU students’ rights, is sceptical as to whether fixing international fees at an acceptable rate can be done. “There’s no real political will for a fair and balanced playing field,” he said. “The outsiders, as they are perceived, are subjected to a monetary view of the world.”