University students in England get two-thirds of funding of a decade ago, analysis finds

"Analysis by Universities UK (UUK), which represents higher education leaders, found that today's undergraduates get a combined 6.4bn less spent in real terms than those who took the same degrees in 2015-16. The figures explain why many universities in England are struggling with budget deficits, as their income from domestic tuition fees has fallen behind rising costs, leaving them heavily reliant on income from international students."

"The decision to increase fees in England in line with inflation was brave, and the right thing to do. It is beyond disappointing that the government plans to remove more than the amount this will bring into universities through a new tax on international students. That is the opposite of helpful, taking us further away from the goal of financial stability, which we need to play our full part in delivering the government's missions."

Undergraduate funding in England has declined substantially in real terms, with students now receiving a combined £6.4bn less than cohorts from 2015-16. Funding per student is roughly two-thirds of levels a decade ago after inflation and government cuts reduced teaching resources. Domestic tuition fee income has failed to keep pace with rising costs, leaving many universities running budget deficits and reliant on international student fees. An inflation-linked fee rise will add about £440m annually, but a proposed levy on international student fees could remove about £780m, further undermining financial stability and jeopardising universities' ability to meet policy missions.

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