University Education Funding Debate

The question

How to approach this discuss both views question

A discuss-both-views essay asks you to explain two opinions fairly and then give your own.

1. Introduce both views and say you will discuss them.
2. Paragraph 1: the first view with reasons and an example.
3. Paragraph 2: the second view with reasons and an example.
4. State your own opinion clearly (in the introduction or conclusion) and keep it consistent.

How to plan this answer

Structure

1. Introduction: paraphrase the debate over free university education and state your own opinion, which may include a condition or a middle position.
2. Body 1: the case for free education, focusing on access for students from poorer families and the wider benefit to society, with a country example.
3. Body 2: the case for fees, focusing on graduates' personal gains and the pressure on public budgets, with a concrete example.
4. Body 3: a nuanced point, such as income-linked loans or targeted grants, which addresses the main worry on each side.
5. Conclusion: restate your opinion and explain why your preferred system is fairer than the alternative.

Idea bank

• Access: free tuition removes the financial barrier that may stop capable students from low-income families from applying.
• Germany: most public universities charge no general tuition fee for undergraduates, although some states charge non-EU students.
• Graduate earnings: many graduates earn more over their careers than non-graduates, which supports the argument that they should contribute to the cost.
• England: fees are capped by government, and graduates repay a loan through the tax system only once their income passes a threshold.
• Public budgets: money spent on universities could instead fund schools or early years education, where the returns to society may be larger.
• Debt fear: even with income-linked repayments, the prospect of debt may deter some students from applying, which is why grants can help.

Useful vocabulary

• tuition fees: Tuition fees are the main cost of a degree for many students.
• an income-contingent loan: Repayments are tied to income in an income-contingent loan.
• to widen participation: Free tuition aims to widen participation among students from poorer families.
• a graduate premium: Many graduates enjoy a salary premium over non-graduates.
• to deter applicants: High levels of debt may deter applicants from low-income families.
• to be funded through general taxation: Free tuition is funded through general taxation rather than by students.
• social mobility: Access to university is closely linked to social mobility.
• to subsidise: Taxpayers subsidise degrees whose graduates earn high salaries.
• a means-tested grant: A means-tested grant can cover living costs for the poorest students.
• the opportunity cost: The opportunity cost of study includes the earnings forgone while studying.

Common mistakes

• Presenting free education or fees as obviously right without weighing the cost to public funding.
• Using a country example without its context, such as presenting a German system as if it works the same way in the UK.
• Ignoring who benefits, which is central to the argument: students, employers and taxpayers each gain differently.
• Mixing tuition fees with living costs, which are a separate issue.
• Writing a conclusion that contradicts the body, for example opposing fees in the body and then supporting them at the end.

Examiner tip: If your view is a middle position, such as targeted support, state it clearly and show how it answers the main problems raised for both sides.