Want your children to be able to go to uni?

Yes, Riven I've noticed that. I don't understand why it hasn't caused more of an outcry. I'd like it overturned because I can't think of a nastier thing to have introduced than scrapping it for all. It could have been further means tested so that only those on lowest bands received it, if they needed to save some money. To target it to those on free schools meals but ignore those whose families earn the same but work for it defies belief. Really stinks.

I'd like to do something about this.

Riven, of course mortgage lenders will take student fees into account - as they do all debts.

They'd be hideously irresponsible if they failed to include that in their affordability calculations.

The loss of EMA seems to have been accepted. I do think it's absolutely vital to support 6th formers with their expenses and those from lower incomes will definitely struggle to reach their potential.

I am incensed that the rug is being pulled from beneath the feet of those who qualify for this and now won't owing to the fact that targeted help seems to mean only those on free school meals.

Is there a petition / protest / anything happening to try and overturn this. Travel costs are mounting. Colleges require students to purchase things for courses. EMA is vital.

Same here, losing EMA.

It will only affect the current year 12's and below. So your DS2 will be landed with it, same as my DD. That's if they can actually implement it in time.

I'm not usually into protesting but I have a two year old and would like her to be able to go to University like I did so I'm going to the march on Thursday - be great if more parents came too, there is a facebook page for people to sign up to and find out more:

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166996716673041&num_event_invites=21#!/event.php?eid=166996716673041

If we were paying USA levels of taxes then fine, they have a good system of bursaries.

I am aware of rent and food costs, a decent bursary would have made a dent in living costs.

As for studying near to home, we only have one decent uni within commuting distance with a limited no. of places for the course DD want's to do. It's a possibility to look into. I have an idea that she would like to move away from this area to study, she would ggain from having independence and needs to mix with like minded people, socially, which wouldn't happen if she travelled in and out. It's quite a distance.

Anyone notice that this scholarship scheme, for what it's worth, isn't coming in until 2014, whereas the fee rises are 2012 .

christmaseve - the food and rent cost will be roughly the same as it is now. It's the debt your dc's will need to pay off when they graduate that's going up.

Obviously if that puts your dc's off going to Uni then that is sad. I guess if Uni applications drop significantly - the government will have to look at this again.

Another way around that of course, ChristmasEve is that your dc go to the local uni. If we are back in the UK when ds looks at Unis I will get him to seriously look at what is available locally and examine the possibility of him living at home whilst studying. That takes away the rent and food costs and bills etc for a start, just the travel costs to pay.

Many Unis on the continent teach in English, so no intense language training needed before going off either.

"American's don't pay as much tax as we do and don't expect the same services."

I would assume they don't pay as much tax because they aren't using the taxes to pay for people to go to Uni? Or using the taxes for a health care system?

Also to all the people explaining how they financed their studies, thanks for that. You have done it on the current system or even better before tuition fees were introduced.

We are discussing the future costs, which are significantly higher, much less help available, so it's really not relevant. We looked at funding as it is now and decided it was do-able and worth it, then this . It's a complete scandal and anyone who says otherwise, obviously, doesn't have a child who will be affected by it from a family that will find it impossible to subsidies their DC's rent and food etc.

American's don't pay as much tax as we do and don't expect the same services.

To the poster who asked who we want to finance HE one simple answer, the government, as has always been the case or a least subsidies in as they do now.

The are saying the help for people on FSM that is what they mean. This evil lot are unlikely to give any concessions to the working poor, no FSM no help!

I don't see why things can't become more like the American system with respect to universities. Why should the government have to fund degree courses?

I know an awful lot of people who only went to university as a rite of passage - they spent a significant amount of time drinking, partying and doing little work. Many are in jobs now that do not require a degree in the first place.

I think there needs to be a radical overhaul of the entire education system. We need to understand that not all young people are suited to university - there needs to be more alternatives such as apprenticeships and other forms of on-the-job training.

Universities should be able to set their own fees - as they do in the United States. I do believe that there should be a lot more giving from those who have graduated to their respective universities, to enable bursaries to be provided for the less wealthy.

I studied at Oxford. I had to take out a student loan. I then did postgraduate study and am now a lawyer. I have to pay back my student loan direct from my salary and also have to pay off bank loans that I took out to cover the cost of living as a single parent whilst studying for a law conversion. I don't begrudge this as I am in a career which I love and which offers good prospects.

Riven - I agree that FSM can be problematic and the older a child the less likely are the parents will claim FSM.

From what I've read in submissions from children's charities to the pupil premium consultation, the vast majority of the most deprived pupils will have been in receipt of FSM at some point in any 6 year period. However - let's see how eligibility for the fee waiver will be measured.

granted - this from Reuters:

"Under the new scheme, any student eligible for free school meals who is accepted for a place at university would have one year's fees paid by the government. "

(My emphasis). Of course as I've just said above - we need to see their definition of FSM eligiblity before we can judge fully.

I would like to think that we are investing in people to become well educated, high achieving, high earners. However, what puts me off in thinking that the govenment (ir taxpayers) to subsidize university education being a good idea is the fact that so many come out of uni and go on to ordinary jobs. Jobs that they could have just gone into when they left school or jobs where they didn't need a uni education but merely a brain and a bit of hard work.

Then whilst they are in these jobs after spending who knows what on uni, it never gets paid back because they don't earn enough and so it was a big fat waste of money.

jackstarbright - the 18,000 max number doesn't refer to the maximum number of those on FSM who go to university. It refers to the maximum amount of cash in the pot.

So if 200,000 students on FSM want to go to university, they won't get all their fees paid, just a tiny amount, as there simply won't be enough money to go round.

Presumably the govt is hoping fear of the costs will put off enough students that only 18,000 poor ones apply! - there is no evidence that that is the total number who currently apply or get in or who would like to go in future.

Sorry - govt ie taxpayers

I want the govt ir taxpayers to subsidize university education, as happens here now, as happens in virtually every other civilised country around the world.

Having a well-educated workforce benefits EVERYONE, not just those receiving the education. The alternative is that only the rich get the education, and the poor are put off by the cost.

Tje dayswhen we could compete internationally as an unskilled manufacturing nation are long gone if we're to survive and succeed, we need to compete, like Germany, with high-tech or value-added products,which we need an education to produce. Otherwise, we're simply going to end up reducing our workforce to work on Chinese wages, or face all our work being outsourced.

In the current economic climate, only a fool would be so short-sighted as to stop investing in training our workforce - it's the future of our country.

The new fees will make British universities THE MOST EXPENSIVE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD. Are you aware of that??

Can you just clarify something for me. Who exactly do you want to pay for peoples uni funding?

Riven - In your hypothetical situation - ds2 in his final GCSE year would qualify - as being on FSM 3 years before Uni entry - I think? It's anyone claiming for 1 year in the last 3.

And to be clear I've just suggested the 3 year rule.

They could choose 1 year - which would miss many, or maybe 6 years which would catch most.

Won't know until there's more details.