UK agrees to skilled migration cap.

[Soleron]

SamuelRSmith said:

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This is something that, simply, I don't understand. My family isn't paying a penny towards my tuition fees, and they wouldn't do if they rose to £9,000. No matter what the tuition fees are, my family is no better or worse off. All of the debt is on my head (through Student Finance).

There is no way a career as a scientist would be able to pay back £36000 (for 4 years) plus PhD debts given that post-PhD work still pays terribly until you get to Professor level many years later than that (if you ever do, positions are rare). If I was a doctor/lawyer/accountant then, sure, I'd be able to take on that debt.

At the very least the government are making it unaffordable to have a career in research.

Rising tuition fees won't stop anyone from going to University if they take on the debt, themselves. Whether or not it's worthwhile taking on the debt is all dependant on what sort of career you are likely to get when you leave. As such, only the courses that result in high-paying jobs will reach the maximum level of tuition fees, and others will be offered at lower fees, or the course will be ended. It's just simple economics through the price mechanism.

I don't believe you or your parents' ability for you to pay should affect the university you can go to. The sole determinant should be academic suitability (grades, work experience etc.).

I do agree that the courses that don't prepare one for jobs well should be cut, but that can be done directly (by stopping funding) rather than by raising fees for everyone to the same effect.