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Protester mot brittiska skolavgifter

Runt 10 000 studerande demonstrerade i London p onsdagen mot kraftigt h jda

terminsavgifter vid universiteten. Mindre grupper av ungdomar hamnade i handgem

ng med polisen.

Demonstrationer gde rum ven i Manchester, Cambridge, Brighton och Liverpool.

I London var hundratals poliser ute p gatorna och gick vid en tidpunkt fram

med batonger mot demonstranter.

Annons:

P v g fr n Trafalgar Square mot brittiska parlamentet stoppades

demonstranterna av uppradade poliser. N r de inte kom vidare f rs kte

aktivister ta sig runt avsp rrningarna, med sammandrabbningar till f ljd.

En mindre grupp arga ungdomar vandaliserade en polisbil som stod parkerad l ngs

marschrutten.

Minst tta personer greps. Tv poliser och sex personer som inte deltog i

demonstrationen skadades.

Regeringspartiets koalitionspartner Liberaldemokraterna lovade under valr

relsen att r sta mot h jda terminsavgifter och m nga studenter r uppr rda ver

vad de ser som ett svek, n r det konservativa partiet Tories nu driver igenom

sparkrav, bland annat trefaldigade terminsavgifter.

Jag vill b rja p universitet, vill g ra n gonting bra med mitt liv men de h

r nedsk rningarna kommer att g ra det n rmast om jligt, sade 15- rige Bethany

Hawker, som medgav att hon skolkade fr n skolan f r att kunna delta i

protesterna med tv kompisar.

Fakta: Studieavgifterna

Protesterna handlar om att en rlig studieavgift nu kan stiga till motsvarande

n ra 65 000 kronor (6 000 pund), vilket i praktiken r tre g nger s mycket som

nuvarande avgift. I vissa fall, d universiteten ocks garanterar studenter med

svag ekonomi utbildningsplatser, kan studieavgiften f r de vriga studenterna

bli s h g som n ra 100 000 kronor (9 000 pund).

K lla: TT

--- Mobile internet site for reading on mobile phones, smartphones, small

screens and slow internet connections. ---http://mpggalaxy.mine.bz/www/BB/

mobile_news/threads/index_last.html

Posted: 2010899@462.43

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stranger

Does it pay to be a student in America?

By Rajini Vaidyanathan BBC News, Washington

Students Study in America for better prospects and perhaps better weather?

The numbers of British students studying in America is at a record high, but

with tuition fees set to rise in England and Wales, could even more travel

across the Atlantic?

In the sea of American football shirts, and college-branded hoodies, the

England top is hard to miss.

Its proud wearer is 27-year-old James Martin, from Sheffield, who is now very

much at home on the campus of George Mason University in Virginia.

Currently studying for his masters, Mr Martin already has a degree under his

belt from the same institution. He is one of a growing number of British

students choosing American universities as their alma mater.

James Martin James Martin wears his England shirt with pride on campus

"I never thought I'd get an undergraduate education, because of my upbringing.

Everything that our family got they've earned by doing it," he explains, proud

of his roots in a working class family in Hillsborough, South Yorkshire.

"I chose to come here because of the money," he adds matter of factly.

Easy admission

Having done worse than he had hoped in his A-levels he took a gap year in the

United States, staying with family.

It was then he decided to enrol into a community college in the state of

Virginia, near Washington DC. As his mother is American he was able to without

the need to apply for a student visa. He says his tuition fees at community

college worked out at around 1500 a year.

"As long as you're a high school graduate, the admission is very, very easy.

The actual rate at the time was $50-60 for every hour of course credit. I

thought it was a very cheap way of getting education."

The ability to attend lectures in the evening allowed James to take on a

part-time job on campus to top up his income. After community college he was

admitted to George Mason university where, with the help of student loans, he

completed his undergraduate degree.

He estimates that his time at George Mason, including tuition, accommodation

and books, cost him around 14,000 a year.

With the prospect of tuition fees in England and Wales rising to as much as

9,000 a year, many are predicting more British students to follow in James

Martin's footsteps.

Travel appeal

The Fulbright commission, which promotes study exchanges between the US and the

UK, believes that the numbers of British students in America in the next

academic year could rise "dramatically", in the wake of rising tuition, and a

limited number of places at home universities.

Lauren Welch, who is the director of advising and marketing for the commission

says interest from British students in American institutions has "skyrocketed".

I turned down a place at Birmingham university to come to American University

in Washington DC.

I am here on a football scholarship, so it has definitely been easier

financially because I haven't had to pay for anything.

When I talk to my friends back home I always see their Facebook statuses and

they're always talking about having to take out a loan or that they've gone

over their overdraft.

If the prices are going to be similar why not come to America, because it's a

whole other country with a whole other set of opportunities and experiences.

At a recent undergraduate study fair for pupils looking to study in America,

she reported a 50% increase in attendees on previous years. The commission's

website has seen traffic go up by a third.

"People are worried that they may not get a place in the UK so they want to

throw their hat in the ring in other countries to see what happens," explains

Ms Welch.

The price of tuition in the United States varies dramatically across

universities. The annual average cost to study at a private university on a

four-year course is 20,000, at a public university it is 12,000- 18,000 .

"While the possible rise in tuition rates won't be on par with the US, I think

the sense is that students are thinking I have to pay 9,000, why not go an

extra couple of thousand pounds more and have that added bonus of going

abroad," adds Ms Welch.

In the 2009/10 academic year, 8,861 students from the UK were studying in the

US, according to figures compiled by the Institute for International Education,

for its Open Doors 2010 report - the highest numbers to date. One famous

student treading the path is Harry Potter actress Emma Watson, who is at Brown

University in Rhode Island.

Almost half of those came to study at undergraduate level, with nearly a third

taking postgraduate classes. Around one-third of those who came for

undergraduate study did so on a scholarship. The rest tend to be funded by

their families.

Udayan Tripathi, 21, is studying at Washington DC's prestigious Georgetown

University, which counts former US President Bill Clinton among its alumni.

"My dad is paying for it," he explains. "You'll find that most British students

are from very wealthy backgrounds, or upper middle class families. In my case

my dad is working very hard to get me though this."

Visa hurdles

Harry Potter actress Emma Watson Emma Watson is a student at Brown university

in Rhode Island

Udayan's decision to shun British higher education in favour of its American

counterpart was driven by the choice it offered. He believes that the American

university system, where you don't have to "major" in a particular subject in

the first year of study, offers students more of a chance to develop as it

gives them a chance to try out a range of subjects before choosing what to

specialise in.

The levelling of costs between the two countries, a desire to experience

America and enhanced employment prospects are the main reasons Britons come to

study here, says Allan Goodman, the president of the Institute for

International Education.

"For many students there is the thought that I will get a better job if I have

a degree from America," he says.

Studying abroad can enhance a student's career prospects, by broadening their

career horizons. Entering on a student visa allows the holder to stay in

America for a further year (or two years if they are a science graduate) to

work here. A survey of employers carried out by the UK Council for Industry and

Higher Education in 2007, showed that studying and gaining skills abroad helped

to increase a student's employability.

Studying in the USA

If you don't have wealthy family, or win a scholarship, it can be difficult to

raise funds to study in the US.

British student loans can only be used for study in the UK, so anyone wanting

to borrow money to fund a course would need to take out a private bank loan,

which comes with higher interest rates, and no ability to defer repayment.

Getting a visa for study is another potential hurdle, but Amanda Morgan, who is

the associate director of admissions at George Mason university says they are

"generally easy" for British students to secure.

"They just have to show that they have no intent of emigrating to the US, and

generally with British students there are pretty strong ties to go back to

their country so there's not so much of a worry," she says.

The requirements of the I-20 visas allow students to work up to 20 hours on

campus per week, but even then, they need to prove they have sufficient funds

to cover their tuition, or have pre-approval for a loan.

Without financial support, a scholarship, or family ties, it is still a

challenge for British students to take up a course in America. But with the

prospect of fees rising in England and Wales, it looks like an avenue many

students will at least be exploring.