UK to start 2-year degree courses from September

UNIVERSITIES WILL BE ALLOWED TO CHARGE UP TO 20% MORE PER

YEAR, BUT THE OVERALL FEE WILL STILL BE LESS

LONDON: Indian and other students will have wider choice from the academic year beginning September, when universities will be allowed to offer degree courses spread over two years instead of three, which means more intensive study but costing 20% less.

Legislation to this effect was passed in the House of Commons last week. It will be rolled out after the House of Lords clears it. The department of education confirmed that the two-year degree courses would be available to Indian and other non-eu students like any other course.

In addition to saving on tuition fees, students will also benefit from a year without paying maintenance costs, and would allow them to seek employment earlier. The number of Indian students in the UK grew in 2017-18 after a major fall since 2010.

Officials said the accelerated degrees will offer the same qualifications with the same qualityassurance as a standard degree, but delivered over a shorter, more intensive time-span. A twoyear degree will condense threeyear degrees with 30 weeks teaching into two years with 45 weeks teaching.

Universities minister Chris Skidmore said: “The passing of this legislation is one of the great modern-day milestones for students and breaks the mould of a one-size-fits all system for people wanting to study in higher education”.