Oxigen_Waste Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I can't understand this... why is higher education so expensive in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, etc etc (basically any english speaking country)? Compared to the prices in countries like Germany or France or Japan, Hong Kong or Singapore, where the education is as good as it is in english speaking countries, why are english-teaching universities up to 3 or 4 times more expensive than others? Does anyone know this/understands why? (I'm obviously not counting Scandinavia or Brasil, because education there is top notch and.... absolutely free, but those don't really "count"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I don't think it's much to do with the language as it is with the government. Right wing governments have seen the fees go from £0 to £9000 here in little more than a decade. Possibly english being a frankish language and thus attracting more international people has allowed it to happen, but I doubt it's the driving factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Well, quite a number of the American and English universities have high prestige (they include the world's best); they know they can charge a lot and people will pay lots to go there. Pretty much any university in London can charge the odds and get away with it; the number of foreign students here in UCL with rich parents is astounding. So glad I get paid by UCL as opposed to paying. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fish Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Simple - English is the international language of, well, pretty much any field. If you've learnt it in English, you're in a better position from an employer's point of view than someone who didn't - technical and conversational English are quite different. Oh, and @Oxigen_Waste - you're Portugese, right? You can go to University in Scotland for free. Unlike me, due to a whole can of worms I don't want to go even within sight of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxigen_Waste Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Oh, and @Oxigen_Waste - you're Portugese, right? You can go to University in Scotland for free. Unlike me, due to a whole can of worms I don't want to go even within sight of. At this point I'm past the need, really, but now you piqued my interest... why? And how does this work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 At this point I'm past the need, really, but now you piqued my interest... why? And how does this work? EU legislation dictates that universities can't discriminate fees between countries. But for some reason this doesn't work within the UK. So you pay the same as a Scot, I have to pay 9k. (Similarly with you and the Welsh paying 3k). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxigen_Waste Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 EU legislation dictates that universities can't discriminate fees between countries. But for some reason this doesn't work within the UK. So you pay the same as a Scot, I have to pay 9k. (Similarly with you and the Welsh paying 3k). Ah, so it's not exactly "free", I just pay the same they do. Still neat-o. But pretty useless in my case, I'm en route to start an MBA in Brasil, since a specific college there is now ranked in the top 20 MBAs and it's 100% free plus it's lectured in my native tongue AND I get access to an exchange program where I get to work on my thesis while in an internship abroad, and guess what's on the list of possibilities? NYC, Chicago and Seattle. Score? Score!!! And I get to do it for free!! Ah ah, seems there's one upside to being Portuguese after all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Ah, so it's not exactly "free", I just pay the same they do. Still neat-o. Yeah but it's free in Scotland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxigen_Waste Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Yeah but it's free in Scotland. ORLY? Well, that's great news. (the 3k confused me)... So which is better, in general... Glasgow U or Edinburgh U? If this is a factor I wouldn't mind changing applications, still a month or so to go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Ah, so it's not exactly "free", I just pay the same they do. Still neat-o. But pretty useless in my case, I'm en route to start an MBA in Brasil, since a specific college there is now ranked in the top 20 MBAs and it's 100% free plus it's lectured in my native tongue AND I get access to an exchange program where I get to work on my thesis while in an internship abroad, and guess what's on the list of possibilities? NYC, Chicago and Seattle. Score? Score!!! And I get to do it for free!! Ah ah, seems there's one upside to being Portuguese after all! Tell me about it. I'm going to New Zealand for 6 months, all expenses and accomodation paid for by UCL, to work in the biotech industry. Education is the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 EU legislation dictates that universities can't discriminate fees between countries. But for some reason this doesn't work within the UK. So you pay the same as a Scot, I have to pay 9k. (Similarly with you and the Welsh paying 3k). One thing I was curious about with that (but never looked into as I didn't apply to any of the Universities). I'm English, but grew up in Wales. If I had gone to a Welsh university...what fee would I have paid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 One thing I was curious about with that (but never looked into as I didn't apply to any of the Universities). I'm English, but grew up in Wales. If I had gone to a Welsh university...what fee would I have paid? You'd have been classed as a Welsh student. I know some people in similar situations and they're classed as Welsh students (get the grants etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxigen_Waste Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Tell me about it. I'm going to New Zealand for 6 months, all expenses and accomodation paid for by UCL, to work in the biotech industry. Education is the way. I actually feel like I'm cheating, though... You're enrolled in your own country and benefiting from it... I'm gonna be riding on the coattails of Brasil's booming nominal GDP, lol... it almost feels like cheating... I mean, if I choose to stay there for like... 5 or so years I'll be making ridiculous amounts of money... literally millions, these booming economies are ridiculous, in a sense... I almost feel bad for even contemplating it... it's exploitation of the highest order... but on the other hand it'd allow me a ridiculous amount of financial freedom. I feel like Anakin, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxigen_Waste Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Yeah but it's free in Scotland. Hmmm, been cheking this out, not really so... in Edinburgh it's 1800£ for undergraduates and a whopping £15,750 for the postgraduate Programme I'm going for. In glasgow it's £1820 undergraduate, £13500 postgraduate. What the hell is this? See, this is what I don't understand... isn't it supposed to be free? oO I mean, it's ridiculous, in Germany I could get the same programme for 2000€ (~£1700), and the Berlin programme is much higher rated than these 2... why on earth are these so expensive in english? oO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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