Those planning to study in the UK must stumble: current funding conditions for studies will no longer exist

The fundamental change is the cost of studies

Artur Jefimov, director of Kastu International, told Delfi that the fundamental change is related to the cost of studies and, sadly, he says, the news is not good.

“Studies in England are still paid for and the annual cost of undergraduate studies is £ 9,250 a year, regardless of the field of study. However, at present, students who have entered UK universities can take advantage of the opportunity to finance their studies through student loans, which are granted on extremely favorable terms, ”emphasized A. Jefimov.

According to the expert, due to Brexit from 2021. August will see two crucial changes in the English education system.

“First, studying in England will cost between the current £ 9,250-13,500 a year, and in some cases up to £ 18,000 a year. Second: from 2021. In August, there are no more opportunities to finance studies with a loan of studies, reason why the student will have to pay his studies himself and pay his studies in advance ”.

The last option is the winter ticket.

Since the funding rules for admission to English universities are changing, Jefimov urged those interested in such studies to wake up and recalled that admission to English universities with a favorable system of full-time student loans for studies of undergraduate and graduate is still possible this winter. .

“However, it must be borne in mind that enrollment in English higher education institutions offering undergraduate and graduate studies has already begun. In winter, the programs offered in the universities of England and the diploma obtained are not different from those that start in September, only that the studies begin a semester later. This means that people who successfully enroll in English universities during winter admission will start studying in England from 2021. January or February, depending on the chosen university and field of study, ”he emphasized.

He also noted that admission to England’s universities during the winter is open to those who have already graduated from school, college or university.

“Unfortunately, current twelfth graders are unable to enter English universities at the time of admission this winter because they do not yet have an end of study diploma that they could offer upon entering UK universities.”

He also pointed out several advantages that prospective Lithuanian students seeking a higher education can enjoy.

“For example, admission to a university in England during the winter is usually a bit easier than during the normal period: universities often apply more flexible admission requirements during winter admission, and competition for a place of study it is less than during normal admission. “

There was no shortage of participants this year

Rytis Jurkėnas, director of the educational company Kalba.lt, pointed out that there are now two important stages: for those who have joined now and for those who plan to join.

“The number of people now entering UK universities is not dramatically higher than last year. The most important thing for them now is to leave; some have already left, others are still considering it. But yes, a lot of people chose those studies, because so far that funding model has not changed. “

He also noted that at the moment it is not possible to say the exact number of how many of the entrants will actually go to study in England, as this usually becomes clear in November.

“However, we believe that this year a higher percentage of these studies have been chosen than last year, so it can be said that there are really many people who are going to study there.”

R. Jurkėnas pointed out that admission to foreign universities during the winter was never very popular in Lithuania, as the new school year starts in February and Lithuanian twelfth-graders still do not have the required certificate of maturity.

“And others who might also join at that time are learning something or doing something else anyway. It certainly wasn’t the most popular time to join. This year, in particular, the difference is that universities, sensing that last opportunity to join, have incorporated more courses to begin studying from February. February was always a time when it was also possible to join, and this is nothing new, just now universities have offered a wider variety of courses ”, explained the expert.

Usually, he says, the strengthening of those who want to enter during the winter is noticed by his institution at the end of November, because some people have chosen a specialty in Lithuania during the autumn admissions and no longer want to continue those studies.

“They just bonded and bonded, but they have one last chance to log out and drop out of school without having to return tuition to the state. However, there are also people who, for one reason or another, did not go to study since September, so they are also considering driving from February. So, we can see that the activity of studying from February should be higher than a year ago ”.

COVID-19 should not interfere

When asked if students were not deterred not only by Brexit but also by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, R. Jurkėnas emphasized that study abroad is related to acquiring specific knowledge that will be used during a long time or a lifetime.

“It is basically a life changing solution and no one expects the pandemic to last forever. If initially there were many languages ​​in which lectures at universities would be given remotely, now it has been decided that all laboratory work would be done in I live, except for the conferences attended by between 300 and 500 people. But young people are invited to come, live in dormitories, etc. “

According to him, there will be no scenario that a student sits in Lithuania and learns remotely from here or that the laboratory they have entered is inaccessible.

“All these issues have been resolved, they have been taken into account and many people have already left, because there are those who want to find work. In addition, due to all the new regulations, I recommend that those who enter the universities from February to arrive before December 31, because by that date they would have acquired the old resident status and would not have to apply for a visa, which will also have a price ”.

R. Jurkevičius emphasized that they strongly emphasize this aspect so that the emigrant registration process is as simple as possible.

Starting next fall – changes

Speaking of the possibilities of starting studies from next fall, the specialist agreed that study funding opportunities will no longer be so favorable, but other avenues are being discussed with universities and additional scholarships may be awarded.

“All of this will become clear when the EU reaches an agreement with the UK, but until there is common ground, there will not be a separate debate on education. For example, between 1.5 and 2 thousand people travel from Lithuania. young people to study, but 50,000 from the EU, so this topic is really important to a large number of people. However, it has not yet been considered in isolation as common ground has not yet been agreed upon, so that it is very difficult to say now what these new conditions will actually be, “he said.

According to R. Jurkėnas, the old order no longer exists, but whatever is new it is still difficult to predict and until there is an agreement between the community and the UK nothing more exactly can be said.

“We do not believe that our citizens are going to be on an equal footing with the Indian or Nigerian citizens in the long term, it will be somehow different, but now we have to wait for solutions.”

Negotiations are underway

A communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the EU and the UK were currently negotiating a comprehensive and comprehensive agreement on future relations and could not say how an agreement would be reached in the field of education.

“Educational policy issues are the responsibility of the member states of the European Union, but the European Union is trying to ensure the best possible conditions for the mobility of students from the EU to the UK.

These provisions are also included in the negotiating mandate of the European Union. We cannot predict regulation in this area before negotiations are over. “

Delfi recalls that the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU after 2016. June 23 referendum, when 51.9 percent. the voters voted for the withdrawal. 2017 March 29, article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty was activated.

Following the referendum, then-UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation as Prime Minister. New UK Prime Minister Theresa May 2017 predicted the UK would leave the European Union in 2019, but the legacy was postponed until 2020.

2020 January 29 The European Parliament has approved the withdrawal of Great Britain from the European Union. 2020 Feb 1 Great Britain has officially left the European Union after 47 years.