Keir Starmer ‘might hand EU college students cut-price tuition charges’ in newest ‘Brexit betrayal’… as younger Brits wrestle below mountain of debt

Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls not to bow to EU demands to slash tuition fees for European students in the UK as part of his Brexit ‘reset’.

The Prime Minister is being warned that UK universities will suffer a £580million hit if he allows a discount for under-30s from the EU who study in Britain.

Since Brexit, EU students in the UK have been charged higher international fees, of between £11,400 and £32,000 a year, compared to the lower domestic rate for British students of £9,535 a year.

But the EU is pushing for the Government to lower tuition fees for EU students in the UK as part of a proposed youth mobility deal.

Sir Keir has agreed to the ‘youth experience scheme’ as part of his Brexit ‘reset’ deal, which will allow 18 to 30-year-olds from the EU to live, work and study in the UK.

Negotiations over the reciprocal agreement, which will also allow young Britons to live, work and study in the EU, have stumbled over the issue of tuition fees.

Labour will be wary of granting a discount for EU students while British graduates continue to struggle under a mountain of debt from student loans.

New polling by YouGov shows more than four in 10 (44 per cent) of Britons think the Government should write off some or all of student debt.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls not to bow to EU demands to slash tuition fees for European students in the UK as part of his Brexit’reset’

The survey also showed three-quarters (76 per cent) of respondents see interest rates of 6 per cent on some student loans as too high.

Two-thirds (68 per cent) said £9,000-a-year tuition fees charged for domestic students in England as too high, according to the poll.

Pedro Serrano, the EU ambassador to the UK, has voiced demands for domestic fees to be charged to Europeans to ensure British universities are ‘accessible’ to them.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office minister in charge of negotiations with Brussels, has insisted it is ‘not something that’s up for discussion’.

But there are fears in the universty sector that Labour could give ground on tuition fees in order to unlock deals in other areas of the PM’s Brexit ‘reset’.

These include a new agriculture agreement with the EU, which the Government hopes will reduce supermarket prices.

Modelling by the Russell Group of UK universities, shared with The i Paper, showed that lowering tuition fees to domestic levels for EU students would cost the UK higher education sector around £580million.

Dr Hollie Chandler, director of policy at the Russell Group said: ‘The Government is making strides with our EU partners to rebuild the UK’s scientific and educational links.

‘A youth experience scheme could be another win-win outcome with real benefits for young people.

‘However, continuing to resist the EU’s call for home fee status for their students is essential, if the Government is to achieve a balanced deal.

‘Granting home fee status to EU students would have a bigger impact on university finances than the proposed tax on international student income and would come at a time when universities are already under significant financial pressure.

‘Taking another £580million out of UK higher education would put investment in teaching and R&D at further risk, potentially damaging economic growth.

‘It would also risk the ability of universities to make the most of the UK’s association to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe – programmes that bring opportunities to universities, researchers and young people, and are critical for a strong long-term UK-EU relationship.’

Sir Keir has been accused of a Brexit ‘betrayal’ as he seeks to push the UK back closer to the EU with his ‘reset’ agreement.

But the PM has described the previous Tory government’s Brexit deal with Brussels as ‘botched’ and lashed out at what he claimed were unfulfilled promises by Brexiteers.

A UK Government spokesman said: ‘We are working together with the EU to create a balanced youth experience scheme which will create new opportunities for young people to live, work, study and travel.

‘Any final scheme must be time-limited, capped and should be based on our existing youth mobility schemes, which do not include access to home tuition fee status.

‘We will not give a running commentary on ongoing talks.’ 

YouGov interviewed 2,024 British adults between 29 to 30 January.