Irish students opting for Britain
— but at a price
Irish students are once again flocking to Britain to study medicine,
veterinary and dentistry because of the lack of places at Irish universities.
This is according to the latest figures from UCAS, the body which oversees
all applications for university places in Britain.
Almost 900 Irish students applied for places on these courses to start
in September 2007, which is worrying for Irish universities who are anxious
that students remain in Ireland to study courses such as medicine.
But the high number of points required for courses in Ireland are forcing
students to move to Britain.
Galway student Karen Grant has applied to study medicine in Britain next
year and said she could be left with no choice but to move away if she
doesn’t get the grades she needs.
She said: “It’s definitely easier to get a place at a British
university to study medicine than it is at an Irish university. The points
to get a place at an Irish university are extremely high. Of course I
would prefer to stay in Ireland but I don’t think that will happen.”
Students also have to worry about the cost implications which come with
moving away from home.
Karen Grant: “I am slightly worried because the cost of studying
in Britain for an Irish student is extremely high. I will have to take
out a student loan to cover the costs but hopefully my parents will also
help out.”
Accommodation costs are a major factor for Irish students studying in
Britain who will not have the option of living at home.
And students worried about higher accommodation costs will also have to
consider the value of sterling compared to the euro — a factor which
has been attributed to the fall-off in Irish students going to British
colleges.
A survey carried out by NatWest showed more school-leavers are living
at home during their university years.
According to the 2006 NatWest Student Money Matters survey in the West
Midlands 17 per cent of students plan to live at home with their parents.
Nationally, the figure is 22 per cent, up six per cent on the year before.
Karen said: “Again Irish students will feel left out here because
it will be impossible for them to live at home — unless they want
to commute but I wouldn’t fancy relying on Ryanair every day!”
Facts of student life
The average cost of a degree in Britain is now nearly £20,000.
Top-up fees combined with increases in the cost of living could raise
student debt at graduation to as much as £33,708 by 2010.
Two-thirds of 2003 graduates moved back in with their parents to save
money and pay off their debt, something which is not always an option
for Irish students.
Parents pay more than £500million towards university costs every
year.
Applications to medical school from students in the poorest social groups
have decreased by 50 per cent in five years.
More than half of lower income students work for an average of 15 hours
a week. Nearly half of them are concerned that working is adversely affecting
their studies.
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