Responding to the announcement that the Government will reintroduce new maintenance grants with a new levy on international student fee income, Liz Hutchinson, Chief Executive of London Higher said:
“Increased financial support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is welcome and London’s universities have a strong track record in widening participation – many of the top universities for graduate social mobility are based in the capital.
“But funding these grants through a levy on international student fees is the wrong approach. International fee income already covers a £460 million shortfall in teaching domestic students in the capital. The total cost of the proposed levy for London’s higher education institutions is estimated at £220 million – a bill that cannot simply be absorbed and would lead to fewer places for UK students, cuts to support services and reduced investment in facilities.
“Nor can the cost be passed on to international students without consequence – in an intensely competitive global market, they will choose to study elsewhere. London has long been the top destination in the world to study. As we seek to grow our economy, attract talent and strengthen our international standing, now is not the time to jeopardise our competitiveness by driving away the students who make such a vital contribution to London’s higher education sector, our communities and our economy.”
