‘WE’RE NOT JUST A WAY TO FILL PEOPLE’S WALLETS’

A “KICK in the teeth” is how Harry Williamson described paying the same tuition fees for online learning.

The final-year University of Stirling student is also paying £410 every month for private accommodation he cannot use since moving home to North Lanarkshire at the end of last year.

The 21-year-old said: “Students are losing their jobs and struggling to save money, so paying the same for less is a kick in the teeth.

“Uni managers on six-figure salaries encouraged students to move into accommodation and pay rent. We’re not just a way to fill people’s wallets.”

On the money he is spending on accommodation, Harry said: “If I could get it back, I would. Obviously, when I leave Stirling I don’t know what my job prospects are going to be. “There’s literally nothing at the moment and anything that does come up has 200 or 300 people applying for it.

“So I just keep thinking that’s money I could be saving.” Harry, who is studying journalism, said last term he had up to two hours of lectures each week – and sometimes just 45 minutes of recorded lessons. He said: “One of the good things was that all the lecturers made themselves available if we wanted to arrange a chat. If I was ever struggling, all I had to do was drop my lecturer an email.”