UUK Boss Criticises the International Fee Levy

The CEO of Universities UK (UUK), Vivienne Stern, has strongly criticised a new UK government policy called the “international fee levy.”

🔍What is the International Fee Levy?

It is a new extra fee/tax that universities must pay for every international student they enrol.
The government says the money from this levy will be used to provide maintenance grants for low-income UK (domestic) students.

📌 Why Is Vivienne Stern Against This Levy?

She calls it a “wretched idea” because:

1-It won’t fix the political fight over immigration

The government said this levy will reduce the “perma-battle” over the number of international students.
But Stern does not believe it will solve anything.

2-It was created because politicians avoided raising UK student fees

UK domestic tuition fees have been stuck for many years, which created financial pressure on universities.
So universities increased international students because they pay higher fees.

She says this happened due to “political inaction and cowardice”.

3-The public will not be convinced

The government wants to show the public that international students bring economic benefits.
But Stern says the public won’t care, especially during elections which focus on “Broken Britain” issues.

4-It will hurt universities

Experts estimate the levy could cause a loss of over 77,000 international students within five years a major financial blow.

📌 Positive Points Mentioned

• The UK government did not completely remove the Graduate Route, but shortened it by 6 months.
• From 2026, domestic tuition fees will finally start increasing with inflation, which Stern calls a “massive win” for universities.

📌 What Happens Next?

Stern thinks:

• The sector will lose the fight against the levy in the Autumn Budget (meaning it will likely be approved).
• But she promises universities will try again later to get it removed.

📌 Other UK Regions

• Wales has refused to introduce this levy and says international students are welcome.

🧾 Overall Summary

Vivienne Stern believes the international fee levy is:

• Bad for universities
• Bad for international students
• Not effective in solving political issues
• Likely to reduce enrollment massively
• A result of long-term political failures

She accepts the government wants to keep the UK attractive to global talent, but thinks this levy is the wrong approach.

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