§ Mr. Arnold Shawasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cost of any subventions from public funds to foreign students in British universities; and what other forms of grant are open to them.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsIn 1966–67 £4 million was provided from U.K. Government funds for grants to overseas students for maintenance costs and tuition fees, of this sum more than half went to overseas students in universities. Comprehensive information is not available about awards made to overseas students by local education authorities or about public expenditure on welfare services for overseas students, including the provision of hostel accommodation. In addition, there is a subsidy to all overseas students at universities, arising from the fee structure, and in 1965–66 this subsidy was estimated as amounting to £12 million for overseas students on full time and sandwich university courses.
It is proposed to provide a fund of up to £½ million in the academic year 1967–68 to mitigate hardship where an overseas student might, because of the new higher level of fees, have to curtail his studies.
Grants to overseas students are also available from a number of overseas Governments who provide support for certain of their nationals, from some inter-Governmental agencies and from some industrial organisations and charitable and educational trusts.