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Are UK universities just too expensive for postgraduate students?

8 March 2012

A recent survey of over 500 undergraduates conducted by leading postgraduate courses site targetcourses.co.uk and launched at the TARGETcourses Postgraduate Study and Funding Fair at the University of Birmingham shows that nearly 70 per cent of respondents would consider taking a postgraduate degree outside the UK.

The major reasons given were the lower fees and the rapid spread of postgraduate courses in mainland Europe being taught entirely in English.

Germany was the most popular destination for students followed by the Netherlands and the Nordic countries – all of which are increasing the range of postgraduate courses aimed specifically at English-speakers and all with much lower fees than are available than in the UK. Outside Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand were the most popular choices.

With UK universities under huge and growing financial pressure, the last thing they want to see is an exodus of home and international students heading for universities in Europe and beyond that can offer high-quality academic postgraduate programmes at a knockdown price.

As students said in their response to the survey questions:

“The most important things are the subject and the university, not the location. If there is a better course in another country, then I would want to take that course”.

“And they teach in English”.

“And it could be cheaper”.

TARGETcourses will continue to monitor the developing situation as international universities step up their marketing activities to attract the brightest and best to complete their postgraduate study outside the UK.

- ENDS -

Note to Editors

  1. The full research report can be found as a pdf here.
  2. targetcourses.co.uk has the UK’s most extensive funding and advice database and contains searchable details on over 20,000 courses from all UK universities
  3. It is published by GTI Media, part of Group GTI - the largest graduate careers group in Europe and Asia, which currently employs 250 people across 9 countries.
  4. GTI Media also produces a wide range of sector-specific publications, both in print and online, written by experts in their sectors, which help graduates secure jobs.
  5. GTI Media distributes its products to universities across the UK and Ireland and is the publishing partner of 25 leading university careers services, including Cambridge, Imperial, Edinburgh, Warwick, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Durham and Trinity College Dublin.
  6. GTI is also the official publishing partner of the Association of Higher Education Careers Services, the professional association of careers services in Ireland, producing products under the gradireland brand.
  7. For more information on GTI Media visit gtimedia.co.uk

For further information on the survey, please contact:

Chris Phillips, UK Publishing Director, TARGETcourses

T: 01491 826262 E: Email

For PR enquiries, please contact:

Rachel Cox, Marketing Manager at TARGETjobs

T: 01491 828925 E: Email