The
number of EU students taking out loans for tuition fees in the UK
is on the rise, despite increasing numbers failing to repay
them
There has been a rise in the number of EU
students taking out loans for tuition fees in the UK and the number
not paying them back is also increasing. 45% of students from the
European Union countries who were liable to start paying back their
loans have disappeared or are in arrears.
Sky News requested the figures last week under
the freedom of information act and have learned that only a
fraction of the outstanding debts have been reclaimed through the
courts. EU students have been able to get loans for higher
education in the UK since 2006, and since then the debts for around
19,000 EU students amounts to £47.4m.
The trouble with the repayment is that if they
work outside of the EU the Student loans company relies on the
cooperation of the graduate giving information about their earnings
and making agreements to pay. Many are re-qualifying for repayment
and then failing to pay, or have failed to provide their earning
details.
With such a bleak outlook on jobs it’s not surprising
that so many graduates are failing to repay their loans.
This figure also looks set to worsen as recent figures on the
number of students applying to go to University are in decline,
which means they may top up these places with applicants from
abroad.
With tuition fees also increasing many new EU
applicants will be borrowing more, and therefore this problem is
only going to get worse which will cost the tax payer more than the
current £20m that 9,000 EU graduates are avoiding to pay.
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