The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) have opened up a route to cheaper university degrees by allowing 6^th form students the chance to apply to study at continental European universities.

While the option to study abroad had existed previously, the landmark move means that students can apply through the UK admissions system for the first time.

People are already forecasting a growth in the number of British students studying abroad with many courses being taught entirely in English and with tuition fees much lower than the maximum £9,000 per year annual UK tuition fee. Indeed, there are some countries who will charge no fee at all!

Starting this summer, UK students will be offered the chance to study at a small number of foreign universities that have been found to meet equivalent standards to those in the UK. Among these is Maastricht University who are already planning to use UCAS mailings to target potential students for next year.

This move looks likely to pressure the government to extend student tuition fee loans to include universities overseas. Scottish students can already take a portable tuition fee loan to allow them to study at five selected overseas universities, but this may need to be extended and also made available to Welsh and English students, or face the risk of pricing poorer students out of studying abroad.

Peter Lampl, chairman of education charity The Sutton Trust said, “There’s no doubt that overseas study holds real benefits and is a realistic option. The problem is that many young people, particularly those from low- and middle-income families, just don’t consider it as a feasible choice for them.”

He continued, “More must be done to ensure that all teenagers are aware of their options and given the best possible advice. US students can access US government grants and loans for study abroad and our government should accord British students the same rights.”

The move by UCAS looks set to raise the profile of continental universities with Dutch universities such as Maastricht and Groningen, already with about 400 British undergraduates and masters students apiece, charging £1,500 a year in tuition fees and offering more contact time than equivalent UK courses. Furthermore, with European application deadlines being later than at UK universities, students can still weigh up their options at home first.

Speaking on the move, a UCAS spokesperson said, “We will consider requests from European higher education providers to use UCAS services if they can demonstrate that they meet equivalent standards to those in the UK. The inclusion of a wider range of higher education providers in the UCAS system offers students more choice about where and what to study.”

Of course, by making it easier to study in continental Europe, tuition fees may not be the only attraction. With some highly recognised universities teaching English-speaking courses, heading overseas can also offer an attractive chance to expand your horizons and see the world while you earn a degree.

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