World
Universities Leave Out Higher-Salary Examples in Student Loan Repayment Info
An analysis by the BBC found several English universities have used only below-average salaries in their student loan repayment examples, which officials have labeled misleading.
Several universities in England have been providing student loan repayment examples on their websites that only use below-average salaries. Treasury Committee chair Dame Meg Hillier described this information as misleading, noting instances where repayments were compared to the cost of a daily coffee. Student loan repayments in England are tied to earnings through Plan 5 loans, requiring graduates to pay 9% of anything they earn over £25,000. An analysis of more than 110 university websites revealed that 12 institutions only offered worked examples based on earnings below the UK average of £39,039, leaving out higher-salary scenarios where monthly repayments would be significantly higher. In response to the findings, the Department for Education stated it would review the information it provides, while universities have indicated they will review their websites where necessary. Officials have stressed that the Department for Education must also ensure its own website includes higher-salary examples for prospective students.
Powered by AI