Good News for Nigerians As UK University Reduces School Fees
- The University of Buckingham has reduced tuition fees on selected accelerated degree programmes
- It is offering up to 45% savings for students, especially in business, management, and creative writing courses
- The university says the move is aimed at improving affordability and value for money amid rising costs
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Nigerian students hoping to study in the UK could see tuition fees reduced following the University of Buckingham's announcement of cuts to its fees in selected accelerated degree courses.
The changes, reported in the Times Higher Education, come in an attempt to broaden access to higher education, offering students "value for money" amid continued pressure on costs around the globe that affects students' decisions on higher education.
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Several fast-track business, management and one English and creative writing course will all qualify for tuition cuts of between 20-45 per cent off the cost of a standard three-year degree at a UK university.
Annual fees will cost 7,830, totalling 15,660 over the two-year degree, compared to roughly 28,605 for a standard three-year degree (9,535 fee per year in the UK today).
Buckingham, which was the UK's first private university in 1976, is well-known for its accelerated degree model, offering degree programs that can be studied in a shorter time than standard universities.
Chris Payne, registrar and chief administrative officer at the university, explained that this comes in line with current discussions about affordability.
He said:
"It seemed to us the time was right, given all the wider debates around value for money and the student cost of living, that we offer something up in terms of getting those headline fees down."
As a private university, Buckingham students cannot apply for a full government loan and are not limited by the same fee caps that affect public universities across England. The previous fees for two-year programs stood at approximately 27,750.
The university claims that with students taking an extra year to live there, the savings will be over 25,000, including accommodation and food.
The announcement comes after a tough 2024 financial year for the university, which saw a 2.1million deficit and difficulties with the university's leadership.
The move comes as industry experts believe that tuition prices and discount schemes are becoming a trend among UK universities aiming to secure the interest of prospective students, especially at this time of year when universities across the UK are making their final plans for the coming academic year.
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Although analysts predict the price changes may not affect all students, as they will still be paying a percentage of their earnings over a certain point, regardless of the length of their degree.
The interim vice-chancellor, David Cole, explained that the initiative is a challenge to the traditional high education fee structure and stated:
"We want to demonstrate that it is possible to deliver a high-quality academic experience while providing better value for students."
He further added that he hopes that this change can help support wider debates on sustainability and the affordability of higher education.
UK announces new visa changes for Nigerians
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has announced that visitors to the United Kingdom who require a visa will no longer receive physical visa documents, as the country moves fully to electronic visas.
UKVI disclosed the development, stating that affected travellers, including Nigerians, will instead be issued an electronic visa (eVisa), which must be accessed through a UKVI account before departure.
Under the new system, an eVisa serves as a digital record of a person’s identity and immigration status.
Source: Legit.ng
