What would you like the Union to do?
I would like the Student Union to advocate for the reduction of international student tuition due to the changes in the format of courses at UCL. There has been discussion and proposals for UK students on this matter but international students pay twice the amount of UK students for the same degrees and have yet to receive attention. I will gladly bring this to the table and propose it myself if that needs to happen.
Why would you like to do this?
Many international students face grave difficulties in paying their tuition fees. Some MA students have increased these costs by traveling to the UK to study in the midst of a pandemic and have since experienced harsh distancing requirements. The lack of face-to-face courses poses a problem for many students who would have otherwise received scholarships but could not due to COVID. Because the format is now wholly online, the fees associated with in-person courses need to be changed or reduced.
How will this affect students?
Many international students already lack the capital to finance their education, and therefore take on student loans with higher interest. Students coming from under-resourced nations still pay the same amount as those coming from over-resourced nations. As a student who has taken out a large sum of money to support my education, I understand the disparity in tuition cost and the anxiety and stress associated with repayment. I also understand that with the change in format, some of the in-person privileges that are associated with attending UCL are no longer held, and therefore restrict students' ability to benefit fully from their attendance.