Surely the Uni Choice deadline will have to be put back further?

[Kazzyhoward]

I know the Uni choice deadline has already been pushed back a couple of times, but surely they don't expect students to make a firm choice when there is no certainty as to whether Unis will be starting as usual in September?

For my son's case, he has no interest in doing a "distant" learning degree - if he did, he'd have done the Open University.

His preferred choice is Newcastle, but that's pointless if he can't move there to enjoy the whole Uni experience, i.e. lectures, living in halls/flats, socialising, freshers week, clubs & societies, etc. He doesn't want to have to move there and end up stuck in a flat studying on his own in his room, and only going to occasional socially distanced events, lectures, etc. I suppose he could accept the offer, do the distant learning, but stay at home and only travel over occasionally when he has to?

An alternative, which he didn't initially want to do, is that he also has an offer for our nearest Uni, Lancaster. Under the circumstances, it seems the better option. He can live at home, study at home, and it's a lot quicker/more convenient for him to go into the Uni for events, meetings, lectures etc as and when necessary. But he won't get the friendship/social/living together experience.

What are others thinking? I can't see any certainty about how Unis will start in September until much nearer the time, certainly not until after final choices have to be lodged. Are others thinking about "going" to a Uni closer to home so that students can carry on living at home whilst they distant study for the first year?

We just don't want our DS to end up committed to Newcastle, committed to renting a room in halls/flat, and end up studying by distant learning at home anyway, and even worse, having to go in, maybe one day per week for "face to face" things, as that would take it's toll due to a pretty inconvenient train journey.

My DD will be going to Central St Martins in the autumn. They’ve already advised her that the autumn term won’t be starting until 19 October.

19 Oct sounds good to me - better than Jan👍

Liz - that depends on when international students decide to come back? Will they next year? Who knows?

What LIZS said. There is no reason why the universities would want to allow students to defer - what advantage is there to them?

I suspect they had already planned for less reliance on international students due to Brexit.

Of course, if you are a current year 13 allowed to defer to 2021 entry, you won't personally suffer any competition at all for your place, because you already have the university's agreement that they will take you next year on this year's terms.

Current year 12s, however, who will in the normal course of events expect to find just a few deferred from this year, may definitely find increased competition. Even without a cap on numbers, there is a limit to the physical capacity. They would have to hope that lots of international students keep away next year as well as this.

I work at a uni. Sorry to any optimists out there but I can't see us going back to normal in September, if there remain restrictions on mass gatherings (which I'm sure there will be). There would be no night life, students not allowed to cram into cafes or the close seats in the library, and yes as others have said it just won't be possible to repeat lectures twice in person as there isn't the space. The only thing I can imagine is a very strange year where we cling on if we can, with a few more people allowed onto campus in January. The lack of international students will pretty much kill off a fair amount of places and not to mention businesses on campuses that rely on students being able to gather.
Sorry to sound so pessimistic.

I suspect they had already planned for less reliance on international students due to Brexit.

Exit from the EU isn't expected to have a particularly large effect on numbers of international students, i.e. students who already pay international fees. It is likely to affect numbers of EU students, who currently pay home fees and are eligible for tuition fee loans. The government has persistently refused to state whether EU students will be home or international for 2021 entry. If they are international, obviously each one would pay more in tuition fees but very few would choose to come. Without access to tuition fee loans they wouldn't choose to come even at the home fee level, which is very high compared to tuition fees in most EU countries.

The problem with deferring is that if it’s because things are still nowhere back to normal, there will be very little work or work experience around, so not that many gap year options. Travel also likely to be restricted in that scenario.
it may be that halls, shared kitchens etc won’t be regarded as that high risk given the general age/risk profile of students? I think it’s quite early for universities to decide now that they won’t be able to start on site in the autumn, given the likely financial impact on universities of dropouts, non starters etc. And is earlier autumn better than Starting later in october, to avoid coinciding with winter flu?

I think so little acorns - if unis delay by even more time they will really lose money

Kittle - how will your uni manage without accom income from new intake? The VC of Durham in link above said they were using the next few months to be as open as possible. I think others will have to follow else be very low on finance.

Some London unis have 40% international students. I would imagine potential new intake from EU will be down dramatically as well as elsewhere. The unis in Germany for example will be ready before ours, for example.

Backfoegood - some unis will be keen to get students signed up for next year - especially as impact on international travel may lead to fewer applications for next year. Not Oxbridge or medical courses or other wildly over subscribed places but plenty eg drama can’t really run their usual offering remotely.

Yes the universities will lose even more money if they delay a term, but also i’m not sure how it helps - starting in january also coincides with the winter flu season? Whereas early September may be slightly before flu gets going (have to admit im not wholly familiar with when flu usually arrives). No doubt they’re getting advice on the health risks so presumably taking this into account.

I assume (hope!) universities are also researching the likely effect on drop outs of 2nd and 3rd yrs and 1st yr non-starts (Sorry, realise that’s not a word,) if they don’t start ‘properly’ this autumn. Of course it may vary from subject to subject.

I agree sept is a better time to start due to flu and hospital capacity.

I’m hoping with all this isolation and oldies not going out as much this year there will be less flu around. We will also be ready to spot symptoms quickly which should help minimise a big outbreak again.

Anyone else get the banner ad for the BA in Risk Management at the top of this thread?!

Now I have one for ‘Prestige Student Living’...