British universities, foreign students, 'whistling'...a rise in student tuition in one's country

The British government has decided to raise the cap on students' tuition for the first time in eight years after tightening immigration restrictions reduced the number of foreign students in universities.

According to British media, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will raise the annual tuition cap for undergraduate students from £92,250 (W16.5 million) to £9,535 (W17.01 million) next year.

The tuition cap has been frozen since 2017.

The increase in tuition fees comes as more universities suffer from financial difficulties.

British universities have relied on foreign students to pay up to four times as much as British students, with their own student fees frozen.

According to The Times, the proportion of international students in English universities was 24% in 2021, but the proportion of university tuition income reached 40%.

However, the number of international students is decreasing as calls for immigration restrictions in the UK have increased and the government has increased restrictions on student visas, including a ban on family companionship.

According to Home Office statistics, student visa applications fell by 18.7% in the first nine months of this year.

As a result, it is estimated that about 40% of universities were in the red last school year, and a growing number of universities are at risk of actually closing.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to abolish his country's college tuition when he ran for the leadership of the Labour Party in 2020, but withdrew it last year.

The increase in tuition is expected to add to the burden on the Labor government as the tax increase plan announced by the Labor government at the end of last month has been opposed by some.