University deferral deals: Current students brand them unfair

Alice took part in the Bristol rent strikes earlier this year

"It feels like we've been forgotten about and the incoming students have been prioritised."

Those are the words of 21-year-old Alice Clarke, a history student at the University of Bristol.

She's referring to universities offering some new students deferral packages if they choose to delay their place for a year. It's to try to tackle courses being oversubscribed after a record number of school students achieved top A-level grades.

The packages usually involve a financial incentive, like a bursary or discounted accommodation.

It's good news for the new students but some current students, like Alice, think it's unfair.

Her university is offering a rent reduction of up to £7,000 and a £3,600 bursary to new students in three course areas - life sciences, biological sciences and economics - if they defer their place.

"The fact that they can so easily offer incoming students these really generous packages is just a stark reminder of how they've treated us," Alice says.

"I'm obviously really supportive of any measures that can support students but I don't think it's a reach for us to feel a bit left out, considering we have borne the brunt of this pandemic."

Thousands of university students took part in rent strikes across the UK last year, as the pandemic forced many of them to stay away from uni sites

She says her experience of going to university during the pandemic has been tough.

"We went into lockdown in my first year of university and I'm now in my third - my whole experience has been clouded by it.

"Paying over £9,000 for teaching that is not what was promised is not fair at all."

She was one of about 1,000 students from Bristol who took part in rent strikes late last year - they were eventually offered a 30% rent reduction, which Alice says didn't come easily.

"We received a lot of push back at any questions about financial reimbursement, so hearing about the university offering deferral incentives for incoming students kind of feels like a kick in the teeth."

The University of Bristol says it'll only be offered to a few students, because of oversubscription.

A spokesperson told Radio 1 Newsbeat: "We fully appreciate that this situation may feel unfair to some students whose university experience has been disrupted by the pandemic.

"However, the university has always acted in the best interests of its student body as a whole and will continue to do so.

"The overall package of additional Covid-related support for students in the last academic year far outweighs the potential cost of the deferral package on offer to a small number of new students."

They say they've spent more than £12.5m in student support in the last academic year.

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Bristol isn't the only university offering these generous incentives - medical applicants at the University of Exeter are being offered free accommodation and £10,000 cash if they defer.

The University of Leeds is offering the same to students wanting to study law or business.

Will Hoddinott has just finished his second year at Leeds and like Alice, he feels frustrated.

"The university has offered so much to these new students, it stings as a current student because we've been offered so little compensation.

"I'm happy for the students who have been offered this and I think they deserve it because they've also suffered during the pandemic, but it hurts that the university has chosen to prioritise them over their current students."

Will feels like his year group has "missed out"

Will hasn't had one in-person lesson since March 2020 and hasn't met any of his lecturers or classmates.

He thinks students in the same position as him should get a reduction in tuition fees.

"I don't see how they can justify taking those fees from us, we've not had the same quality teaching that we signed up for."

Like Bristol, the University of Leeds says it has put measures in place to support current students.

A spokesperson said: "This year an unprecedented number of students have achieved the highest grades across a wide range of subjects and, in common with other universities nationwide, we are having to take steps to meet this unprecedented demand.

"Throughout the pandemic, the health and wellbeing of our students and staff has remained our top priority, and financial support measures put in place have included increased contributions to the student hardship fund for those most in need."

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