It’s no secret that this year has been a challenging time to be a university student in the UK. With our second semester impacted heavily by strikes, which are still set to continue, along with preparations for a marking boycott. It’s not been easy, and Newcastle University has not been alone in this struggle
These interruptions to our studies are coming at a time of increased home tuition fees and changes to student loans repayment. Under the Plan 5, which came in effect in August 2023, students are starting to repay their debts earlier and for longer.
If you think this is terrible, don’t even let me get started on international student fees, which are constantly increasing. Paired with the utterly terrible conditions after graduating, it makes one ponder whether coming to the UK to study is worth it.
As someone who is an international student but still jumped on the reduced tuition fees for EU students, I can’t complain too much. But changes to immigration laws, work visas and astronomically high fees, aren’t exactly alluring for someone travelling hundreds of kilometres and paying thousands in tuition fees.
I’ve had people ask me whether I would make the same choice again. And my response to that is that I would make the same one, if I had the same conditions as when I first applied. However, in these new conditions with higher fees and immigration laws, which make it impossible for any future outlooks in this country,… To put it bluntly, I’d stay the hell away from the UK.
If you’re paying thousands in fees for an education that is constantly being interrupted by strikes (as two out of the three years of my degree were), your university has been battling financial issues, and the country is doing everything in its power to kick you out as soon as possible (aka the new conditions for a Skilled Worker Visa), then those are all signs to carefully consider your plans.
To balance all these negatives out with a smidge of a silver lining, I’ve had a great university experience. Yes, I’ve faced some challenges, much like everyone else, but I am glad I crossed the channel and flew up here. For me, even through all these struggles, it was worth it.
And with the danger of sounding cliché, I believe it is up to you to make the best of it. Yes, we’re all facing incredible challenges now and possibly in our futures. But I’ve learned a lot on my university journey and as much as I would urge anyone to do detailed research of their future university, I wouldn’t change a thing about my decisions. With that sappy finish, I would like to say goodbye to my undergraduate degree at Newcastle University and welcome new challenges, experiences and adventures.