Living at university

Most British students choose to go to university a long way from their home town. They think going to university is a time to be independent, and to live away from home and develop new interests.

Until 1998, British students did not have to pay to go to university. Now they must pay about £ 1,000 a year as a tuition fee. They also need money to live away from home. Many students, whose parents do not earn a lot of money, are given a grant from the local education authority. If students do not get a grant, parents are expected to pay for their children. Some students borrow money from the bank, which must be paid back after they leave university. In theory, the grant pays for rent, food, books and transport. In fact, the grant is not large enough. Students often work during the holidays to earn more money. About 38 per cent of the population under 24 years of age go on to higher education.

Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest universities in Britain and they have the highest academic reputation. Most of the colleges are built around courtyards, called quads, with lawns in the centre.

a  Give one advantage of going to university or college in Britain.

b  Give one advantage of training schemes in Britain.

c  Can students in Britain choose which university they go to?

d  If you got good grades at A level, but you did not get a grant and your parents refused to give you any money, what would you do?

e  If you did not get good grades at A level, what would you do?

Michael Vaughan-Rees, Geraldine Sweeney, Picot Cassidy: In Britain. 21st Century Edition, Cornelsen Verlag, 2000, page 39