No-fee degree for students at home

Several newspapers have reported that the Government is proposing a no-fee degree for students who are prepared to live at home.

The Express

This is patently a badly thought-out idea.

Families with money will send their children to do the best possible course at the best possible university. Poorer students will end up going to the university closest to them, regardless of whether the course or institution is right for them.

This will result in many poorer students studying a course that’s not right for them at a university they don’t really like.

This would create a 2-tier system where the rich study their chosen degree at the best universities while the poor are stuck with whatever the nearest university can offer. We would have the same system as already exists in cities for schools – those who can afford to move to a better catchment area or go to private school, and those who can’t are stuck with the bad local schools.

Surely half the point of university is the experience of living away from home?

Being a student living away from home is a valuable experience. It is the unique position of living on your own and managing your own life, while still having access to support from your parents when everything goes horribly wrong.
On the other hand, living at home while studying would give no new responsibilities, and would be just like school.

One of the best things about studying away from home is meeting people from all over the country and from all backgrounds.
Living and studying at home would destroy the social integration aspect altogether.

I think a better idea would be to provide more or better targeted funding for poorer students.