How students could pay the price if university costs increase

I left armed with a 2.1 in American Studies, a penchant for ale and about 1,500 worth of debt. Had I been one of the thousands of students graduating this summer, then that last figure would probably be 10 times higher.

Levels of student debt have risen sharply since the controversial introduction of tuition fees by Tony Blair and are growing at an alarming rate. Students who graduated last summer left with average debts of 15,700 – up more than a third from 2008.

This year's figure is likely to be even higher and with Lord Browne's independent review of student funding, which could pave the way for higher fees, due to report back in the autumn, the financial implications for future generations could be severe.

Annual fees now stand at 3,225, but many teenagers would turn their backs on a university education if these were raised to 7,000, according to a new report. A survey of 2,700 11-16 year-olds, commissioned by the Sutton Trust, found that more than two-thirds would still be likely to go if fees rose to 5,000 a year. But if there was an increase to 7,000 then less than half (45 per cent) would continue their studies.

University vice-chancellors have previously called for a higher cap, while in its written submission to the Browne review the Russell Group, which represents 20 leading research-intensive institutions including Oxford and Cambridge, called for the tuition fee cap to be lifted incrementally, with institutions able to charge different amounts for different courses.

The Sutton Trust's survey indicates that teenagers from poorer backgrounds are likely to be the first to turn down university if fees are raised, which is likely to set the alarm bells ringing. The trust's chairman, Sir Peter Lampl, says a university education should not be exclusive to those from the most privileged backgrounds. "We must make sure it is not those from poorer homes, already under-represented in higher education, who miss out most."

The UK is not in the same boat as our neighbours across the pond, where a four-year undergraduate course at one of the leading universities has

a price tag of about 132,000, but there are serious concerns that a significant rise in tuition fees could prove counter-productive.

If people are forced to borrow more money in order to go to university, they will be saddled with unprecedented levels of debt. But if more young people opt out of higher education we could be left with a smaller skilled workforce trying to compete in the global marketplace.

Aidan Mersh has just completed a three-year degree in politics at Hull University and, like many of his peers, is concerned about the impact

a possible increase in fees would have.

"I think a lot of students would be put off coming to university if there was a substantial increase in tuition fees, because on top of living costs it would be too much for many of them. I've just finished my third year and I've worked out that I have around 20,000 of debt," he says.

"At the moment, around 70 per cent of students take on part-time or full-time work and if tuition fees go up then that percentage will go up and that means they won't be able to spend as much time studying, which will have an impact on their grades."

Not everyone wants, or needs, to go to university

and there are jobs where waving a degree certificate in front of a perspective employer doesn't make a jot of difference. But if you want a career as a lawyer, doctor, or even a journalist, then a degree is essential.

Mersh, 21, believes that rising fees would not only result in falling student numbers. "If there's a hike in tuition fees then you're going to see more students living at home and they'll miss out on the whole university experience. I'm from London and I love being in Hull, but if I was looking at paying 7,000 year on year then I would think twice about it. So this would limit not only where you can go, but also what courses you can take."

He believes future generations will be left "short changed" if they can't afford to go to university. "We're not the generation responsible for the credit crunch and the sovereign debt but we're the ones that will be responsible for dealing with it. But this will be harder if we don't have enough people with the skills needed to get the country back on track."

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