Poorest students in England face debts up to 73,000 USD: think-tank

The poorest university students in England face debts on their graduation of over 73,000 U.S. dollars, a leading education think-tank said Thursday.

A study published by the Sutton Trust says on average English students face the highest graduate debts, exceeding the Ivy League average in the United States.

On graduation what they owe is far higher than their American counterparts, and more than in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the study shows.

The trust says data show typical U.S. graduates face debts ranging from about 30,000 U.S. dollars to 43,300 U.S. dollars. Last year, with annual tuition fees in England of up to 9,000 pounds a year, graduates owed an average of over 64,500 U.S. dollars.

But in some cases the debts in England were even higher.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust and Education Endowment Foundation, said Thursday: "The massive increase in tuition fees from just over 3,000 to 9,000 pounds per annum and the abolition of the maintenance grant results in the poorest English university graduates facing debts on graduation of over 50,000 pounds (73,000 U.S. dollars) with interest rates on the debt compounding at up to three percent over inflation."

Lampl added: "These debt levels are by far the highest in the English speaking world and are more than double average debt levels at universities in the United States, where students study for four year programs, rather than three. They impact on the ability of graduates to go to graduate schools, to afford a mortgage, the timing of having children and other major life decisions.

"The cost of going to university has become so expensive that more young people should seriously consider higher level apprenticeships, preferably to degree level. By choosing this route they will earn while they learn, incur less debt, and develop skills which are greatly valued in the workplace. We need more good apprenticeships to offer genuine alternatives to university degrees."

The Sutton Trust says in its report it is concerned that the abolition of maintenance grants this September will leave the poorest students with debts in excess of 50,000 pounds (73,000 U.S. dollars).

Tuition fees in England average 8,800 pounds (13,900 U.S. dollars), up to a maximum 9,000 pounds (13,141 U.S. dollars).

The report also highlights the growing complexity in arrangements in the country, with different fee levels in Scotland for those from the rest of Britain and grants in Wales that enable Welsh students to take up places at English universities for less than 4,000 pounds (5,840 U.S. dollars) a year.

The trust has called on politicians at Westminster to monitor higher education funding and assess the impact of changes on disadvantaged students.

The Sutton Trust was set up as a foundation in 1997 to improve social mobility through education. Endit