‘The negative impact of growing higher education expenses on UK students’ mental health Photograph: Goldsmiths, University of London
In November 2024, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced that university tuition fees would be increased for the first time in eight years.
Tuition fees were previously capped at £9250 per year in 2017. However, from August 2025, students at universities will pay up to £9,535.
Although it has been restricted at £9,250 since 2017, the impending increase to £9,535 is about in pace with inflation over the previous eight years, the highest rate recorded since fees were implemented in 1998 under Tony Blair’s Labour government, at £1,000 per academic year.
When speaking to the BBC, Phillipson further revealed plans to raise student maintenance loans by £414 per year to help students with the rise in living costs.
Although maintenance loans were intended to cover students’ essential living expenses, they often, for some fall short by thousands of pounds per year, especially when it comes to housing expenditures.
According to MoneySuperMarket, the average cost of student housing is from £2,000 to £2,500 per month.
“When you’re always worried about money, it’s hard to concentrate on studying,” says Isha Hussain, a second-year Goldsmiths sociology student.
Due to her accommodation being over £500 per week she says the current loan that she is eligible for does not cover her rent alongside necessities such as food and travel. This has led to her working over 30 hours every week, alongside her studies.
“University was meant to be a place of learning and development, but it’s now just a place of survival,” she said.
Before the increase in fees, Data from a 2024 Student Academic Experience Survey, conducted by Advance HE and the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), found that over 28% of students reported the cost-of-living crisis was affecting their studies “a lot,” an increase from 26% in 2023.
Additionally, 50% stated it was affecting them “significantly.” Financial pressures have become the most significant concern, with 44% of students citing the cost of living as a primary factor contributing to a negative perception of their educational value.
At Russell Group universities, which are notoriously expensive as their current accommodation rates are over £300 per week.
Historically linked to prestige, the problem is especially urgent. Subhan Ahmed and other students find the financial strain to be extremely personal.
Ahmed is a first-year Queen Mary University of London marketing student from a lower-income family.
Accepted by one of the top Universities in the country, Ahmed says, “The excitement quickly turned into anxiety when I started calculating the costs—, rent, food. It adds up faster than you think.”
For UK students, tuition fees are not an immediate concern, as they are covered by student loans that only require repayment once graduates earn above a certain threshold.
This is to ensure that those from low-income backgrounds can still access higher education without the burden of upfront costs.
“I fear we’re being set up for failure. When we’re always worried about money, how are we meant to succeed?” He states that due to the increase in fees, students from less affluent households will face even more issues than before compared to students from higher-income families.
The change in Fees is a £200 rise in comparison to the amount which was set in 2017. However, the method in which students are only to pay the amount until after graduation.
According to Student Finance England, students will “Only repay their loan when their income is over the threshold amount of their repayment plan”
The government has also justified the tuition hike as an initiative to help financially troubled universities, many of whom have had to reduce staff and programs due to financial difficulties including debts.
One of the universities most affected by these issues is Goldsmiths, University of London.
Shada Abdalqader Head Campaigns & Activities Officer at Goldsmiths’ Students’ Union (SU) states that while financial support schemes exist, they are not enough to tackle the full scale of student hardship.
The government argues that higher tuition fees are necessary due to funding cuts, yet critics question whether this increase will genuinely improve the student experience.
“If the additional revenue is used to enhance support systems, then perhaps it is justified,” Abdalqader says. “But if it simply goes toward covering institutional debts without improving student services, then it fails to serve its purpose.”
“Most home students remain eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance England, meaning they don’t have to pay fees upfront. But international students don’t have this safety net,” they explain.
Goldsmiths alongside, various institutions are offering services to support their students who are facing significant financial strain.
The Student Hardship Fund, offered by Goldsmiths, is designed to offer emergency assistance to people who encounter unforeseen financial difficulties.
However, despite these services, the SU argues that the approach to student financial aid must be more holistic and specifically tailored to the different challenges faced by students. International students, for instance, often require more nuanced support.
“Many of the issues students face stem from broader systemic issues, the pressures created by the university itself.” says the SU representative.
Students see the growing expense of higher education as a direct danger to their education and prospects, as well as a financial concern. Students like Isha Hussain and Subhan Ahmed wonder if a university degree is worth the cost as tuition rates rise and living expenses skyrocket.
One thing is evident: the future of higher education in the UK is at stake, as student voices continue to gain traction and universities face financial collapse.