A youth mobility scheme with the EU was said to be deadlocked on Sunday night over tuition fees for international students.
As part of Keir Starmer‘s Brexit ‘surrender’, Labour is looking to open up the UK to swathes of young European adults, allowing 18 to 30s to live or work here – offering the same opportunities as Britons would have on the Continent.
But negotiations have hit an impasse, sources said, as Downing Street comes under pressure from the university sector not to cut a deal with Europe as it could cost them half a billion pounds in lost revenue.
Britain would look at lowering tuition fees for EU students only as part of a ‘very big offer’ from Brussels, one official told the Financial Times.
Many Eurocrats are keen to pay less for their children to study here.
Some such students pay up to £38,000 a year for courses that cost British students up to £9,535.
Another source told The Times: ‘It is true that talks have stalled and that this is now the main issue on which both sides cannot agree.’
Ben Moore, head of international policy at the Russell Group of top universities, said such a scheme would be a ‘win‑win’.
Keir Starmer last month faced calls not to bow to EU demands to slash tuition fees for European students in the UK
Since Brexit, EU students in the UK have been charged higher international fees of between £11,400 and £32,000 a year
But he added: ‘Granting home fee status to EU students would have a significant impact on sector finances and would come at a time when universities are already under significant financial pressure.’
It comes after the Prime Minister last month faced calls not to bow to EU demands to slash tuition fees for European students in the UK as part of his Brexit ‘reset’.
Sir Keir was 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 the Government to lower tuition fees for EU students in the UK as part of a proposed youth mobility deal.