We can all agree on one thing: from the perspective of young people in the United Kingdom, the decision whether to go to university has become a lot more complicated in recent years. Tuition fees in England and Wales for UK and EU students are more than £9,000 (€10,076) per year — three times the level of five years ago. Annual interest rates on student loans have also increased sharply to more than 6 percent and rents for student accommodation are not getting any cheaper.

From the perspective of the large body of overseas students, there have been other influences as well. For students from outside the EU, there are widespread reports that securing a visa to study in the United Kingdom has become a more tortuous process. Brexit has also introduced a new dynamic. Where EU students are currently able to study in the United Kingdom for the same fees as domestic students, in the longer term they may need to pay fees in line with those for students from outside the EU; these