Higher fees and larger debts face students

University students studying in England are facing a higher spending rate than ever before.
The results come from a Student Income and Expenditure Survey taking this year. The survey, which is published by England’s Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, showed that higher tuition fees have increased first year students spending by 12% in the last three years.
This has resulted in students now completing their first year with an average of £3,500 debt.
Despite the rise, the survey also showed a decline in students with part-time jobs during term time. This could have something to do with current economic climate and that with unemployment as high as it is employers are looking for people who can work full-time instead.
The average income of a full-time student has now increased to £10,425 but this includes grants, bursaries and loans with rising tuition fees being the main factor. Coventry University has also increased full-time tuition fees from £3145 in 2008 to £3225 this year.
Report author, Claire Johnson, a principal research fellow at the Institute for Employment, told the BBC that student income had risen overall, although most of the increase was driven by income from tuition fee loans. She said loans and grants were “playing a more important role for students” and this could be the reason for students relying less on income from part-time jobs.
The NUS (National Union for Students) found that students are now more than ever being influenced by financial factors when choosing a University. Despite this however, the survey also discovered that students still had confidence in Universities and 80% felt that going to University was a good investment for their future.
Higher Education Minister, David Lammy, told the BBC that University was still one of best pathways to a good career and it is good that students still see that.
Coventry University student, Stephanie Bristow, felt that she was definitely sending more than she thought she would by attending university. When I asked her about what she felt about rising tuition fees she said “frankly it scares me. If they continue to rise no one from a working class background will be able to attend University and it will be back to the olden days”. She also said that one of the main reasons she choose to attend Coventry University was because of the good academic scholarship it had which would really help her. Despite the worry of rising fees, Miss Bristow felt that “in the long run University is a good choice but the idea of leaving University without a job because of the economic crisis scares me”.

A lesson in Black Gold

Youth for Fairtrade had a successful evening dedicated to informing students at Coventry University about the global trading of the coffee industry.
The event, which took place on the 10th March in aid of Fairtrade Fortnight, invited students to the student union to watch a film and indulge in some free Fairtrade products. The evening began a little later than the expected time of 5 o’clock but according to Stephanie Bristow who attended the event it was “worth it”. She found the film, which was a documentary entitled ‘Black Gold’, “interesting and made me realise that I should buy food that doesn’t just benefit me”. The eye-opening documentary exposes the multi-billion pound industry through showing one mans fight for Fairtrade.
Stephanie said “ I attended the event because even though I knew about Fairtrade I wanted to find out more”. The documentary provided lots of facts such as the average kilo of coffee can make $230 but the average Ethiopian coffee farmer is lucky to even make half a dollar.
The film was shortly followed by a brief presentation from the events organisers who talked about a free Fairtrade training programme in a youth hostel which students could become involved in. Ben Bilverstone, one of the organisers, said that the training was “a lot of fun”. Ben, who is a UK ambassador, first became part of Youth for Fairtrade after attending a conference and being influenced by a man who was very passionate about Fairtrade. He said that if students wish to help out then they should “buy what Fairtrade products you can even though Fairtrade is slightly more expensive, the extra pennies make all the difference”.
After the presentation, those who watched the film were able to try some Fairtrade products such as wine and chocolate which everyone appeared to be trying. This event was followed by a previous Fairtrade event which took place the week before called ‘Go Bananas’ where free Fairtrade bananas were given out. If you would like to become involved in Fairtrade and their events go to the Fairtrade website at www.fairtrade.org for more information.