0:00:00 > 0:00:07In the next half-an-hour there is no smoke without fire. Should we
0:00:07 > 0:00:13allow scrapyards in the heart of our cities? It's only 50 yards from
0:00:13 > 0:00:17where people live. Richard and be here. Bottom of the class. Can we
0:00:17 > 0:00:20persuade more northern students to go to university? I don't think
0:00:20 > 0:00:25people round here are expected to go to university. I don't like
0:00:25 > 0:00:28change, I don't want to leave all my friends. And if the thought of
0:00:28 > 0:00:33student debt makes you want to run and hide, they may be an answer.
0:00:33 > 0:00:39Alvin is here to help. I'm going to show you what a degree can really
0:00:39 > 0:00:49cost and how you can avoid those fees altogether. Stories from the
0:00:49 > 0:00:59
0:00:59 > 0:01:03heart of the North-East and Cumbria. The Great Fire of Byker made
0:01:03 > 0:01:07international headlines, as firefighters tackled a huge
0:01:07 > 0:01:11scrapyard blaze on Tyneside. The plume of smoke could be seen for
0:01:11 > 0:01:15miles around. That and a spate of other scrapyard fires have left
0:01:15 > 0:01:21some burning questions. Just what do they have on the premises, and
0:01:21 > 0:01:25should they be sited so close to our homes? Fire broke out at the
0:01:25 > 0:01:35Shepherd's scrapyard in Byker about 45 minutes ago. The smoke can be
0:01:35 > 0:01:38
0:01:38 > 0:01:43May this year, and Tyne and Wear Fire Service is tested to the limit
0:01:43 > 0:01:48when they have to tackle a huge blaze in Byker. What of the largest
0:01:48 > 0:01:52scrapyards in this region. Firemen are beaten back by the ferocity of
0:01:52 > 0:01:56the blaze. The it's very dangerous. It's very important nobody gets
0:01:56 > 0:02:03hurt. I think we will be here for some hours. Hundreds of people come
0:02:03 > 0:02:08to take photographs and witnessed the great Byker fire. We just came
0:02:08 > 0:02:13down to see what it was. Two hours later, it's still burning.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18Excitement soon gives way to concern. It's really frightening.
0:02:18 > 0:02:23I'm still shaking, it's so traumatic. Residents in the Byker
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Wall estate bear the brunt of the pollution. It was black. God knows
0:02:28 > 0:02:33what people were suffering living here, it was heading straight this
0:02:33 > 0:02:38way. It's only 50 yards away. It should never be there. His goal is
0:02:38 > 0:02:42evacuated. People are told to stay indoors. When I first came round it
0:02:42 > 0:02:45was really bad. I had to put white cardigan over my nose and mouth.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50The police were telling everyone to get in their houses and shut their
0:02:50 > 0:02:55doors and windows because it was toxic. We were playing out and saw
0:02:55 > 0:03:00some smoke. We didn't realise what it was. We started coughing. All of
0:03:00 > 0:03:06the Big smoke went all over. The can taste it, it's a choking smell.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09It gets on your front and in your chest. Seven hours, 100
0:03:09 > 0:03:13firefighters and thousands of gallons of water later and the
0:03:13 > 0:03:17blaze is finally under control. But will we ever fully know what has
0:03:18 > 0:03:23been released into the atmosphere? You are looking at a variety of
0:03:23 > 0:03:27hydrocarbons, from fuels and oils. Cars these days contain quite
0:03:27 > 0:03:31significant quantities of polymers and plastics. It's extremely
0:03:31 > 0:03:34difficult to say exactly what is in the smoke plume from a scrapyard
0:03:34 > 0:03:41fire, but you can say with a fair degree of accuracy that none of it
0:03:41 > 0:03:45you should be breathing. So why in an age when we are all supposed to
0:03:45 > 0:03:48be doing our bit for an environment should people who live close to
0:03:48 > 0:03:55scrapyards have to put up with the potentially toxic consequences of
0:03:55 > 0:03:59them are being set alight? This is a debate that is hotting up. A
0:03:59 > 0:04:05month after the Byker fire, this scrapyard in Stockton went up in
0:04:05 > 0:04:09flames. People at homes nearby were told to stay inside. Just last
0:04:09 > 0:04:13month, a scrapyard in Dalton-in- Furness was set ablaze. Train
0:04:13 > 0:04:17services were delayed and residents told to stay indoors. Several
0:04:18 > 0:04:23previous buyers had been reported at the same site. In Sunderland,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26major roads were closed after a scrapyard fire in Deptford. And
0:04:26 > 0:04:32this fire, at a tyre dump at Langley Park in County Durham,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35burnt for several days before it could be brought under control.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39potential for fires within scrapyards is very high. If you've
0:04:39 > 0:04:43got a process that requires oxyacetylene cutting gear of
0:04:43 > 0:04:47propylene cutting gear to be used to reduce these vehicles down to
0:04:47 > 0:04:50manageable chunks and then taken away for recycling, you are using
0:04:50 > 0:04:58hot cutting gear quite close to large amounts of combustible
0:04:58 > 0:05:03material. It's not surprising that we get fires in these facilities.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Back at Byker, it's the day after the big plays. The scrapyard
0:05:05 > 0:05:10workers are still shocked by the speed that the fire spread Ann
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Toward nearly engulfed them as they tried to put it out. Me and one of
0:05:14 > 0:05:18the lads went in. When I turned around he wasn't there any longer.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22I went back to find him in the smoke and what happened was
0:05:22 > 0:05:26something had got in his eyes and he was on the deck holding his eyes.
0:05:26 > 0:05:32We dragged him to safety near the offices. The crane driver, I don't
0:05:32 > 0:05:39know how he managed to get out. He had to drive over and get out. I've
0:05:39 > 0:05:44never seen a blaze anything like it. Its smouldering. You always get
0:05:44 > 0:05:49that with fires of this complexity and size. Ian Robinson is leading
0:05:49 > 0:05:52the investigation. We do know that the seat of the fire was in front
0:05:52 > 0:05:56of us. At this point in time it was still in the early stages. The
0:05:56 > 0:05:59cause of the ignition is still under investigation.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Environment Agency is also carrying out investigations, checking what
0:06:02 > 0:06:06was stored at the yard and whether there has been air or water
0:06:06 > 0:06:11pollution. Meanwhile, the site operators are counting the cost of
0:06:11 > 0:06:20the blaze. It is heartbreaking. I know a lot of people think it's
0:06:20 > 0:06:23only scrap metal but scrap metal to some people but it is our living.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27month before Byker, another scrapyard fire hit the national
0:06:27 > 0:06:30headlines, this time on the outskirts of London. Huge
0:06:30 > 0:06:34disruption was caused when the M1 motorway was closed for the best
0:06:34 > 0:06:39part of six days, causing misery and chaos to millions of commuters.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43The government ordered an inquiry into the siting of scrapyards as a
0:06:43 > 0:06:47result. The government is due to unveil its report into its findings
0:06:47 > 0:06:52in the coming months. It could impact upon future planning
0:06:52 > 0:06:56applications for scrapyards next to major roads or railway lines. But
0:06:56 > 0:07:02does it go far enough? What about residence next to the Byker
0:07:02 > 0:07:07scrapyard? How did they feel about the fire? Uncomfortable. I just
0:07:07 > 0:07:11think that place shouldn't be near residential areas. I am here but
0:07:11 > 0:07:15could you imagine living down there? If they were going to
0:07:15 > 0:07:19develop this, that plays should have been long gone. There's always
0:07:19 > 0:07:24been a scrapyard here. It's just the norm to us. But in
0:07:24 > 0:07:30circumstances like this it is very dangerous. Especially for the toxic
0:07:30 > 0:07:34smoke. Scrapyards to contain hazardous materials. I think the
0:07:34 > 0:07:38question then has to be asked - do we want something that contain
0:07:38 > 0:07:43these hazards with the potential for causing problems to be right in
0:07:43 > 0:07:46the middle of our towns? Or do you decide you need to cite them on the
0:07:46 > 0:07:50outskirts? Currently there are no government guidelines specific to
0:07:50 > 0:07:54the siting of scrapyards, and there are no plans for a review on
0:07:54 > 0:07:57environmental grounds. The Environment Agency is responsible
0:07:57 > 0:08:01for day-to-day regulation, but because there's planning permission
0:08:01 > 0:08:05for the Byker site the scrapyard is here to stay. If there was a new
0:08:05 > 0:08:11application then quite clearly were would be consulting local residents,
0:08:11 > 0:08:17seeking their views. The issue there is the scrapyard has existed
0:08:17 > 0:08:22since the 1970s. We can't add additional controls on to deal with
0:08:22 > 0:08:28potentially new hazards that have come to light now. The fire brigade
0:08:28 > 0:08:32investigation into the blaze is now complete. The CCTV has given Ian a
0:08:32 > 0:08:37chance to establish what happened. You got operation going on with the
0:08:37 > 0:08:42crane. There are like wisps of smoke coming up from behind the
0:08:42 > 0:08:46shrubs. You can see the fire starting to develop. What we've had
0:08:46 > 0:08:50here is a metal to metal contact which has created a spark in the
0:08:50 > 0:08:54area where we had something flammable. It's taken approximately
0:08:54 > 0:08:59four minutes for the majority of that waste pile to be fully
0:08:59 > 0:09:04engulfed. So the fire was an accident. But that's not the end of
0:09:04 > 0:09:09the matter. The Environment Agency has completed its investigation. We
0:09:09 > 0:09:12can reveal that court action could follow. The yard operator has been
0:09:13 > 0:09:16questioned under caution about the amount and type of waste stored
0:09:16 > 0:09:19there. I understand they've been ordered to change the way they
0:09:19 > 0:09:27operate the site, particularly the way waste is stored and handled.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31The decision on charges is expected in December. The union representing
0:09:31 > 0:09:35firefighters is happy with the way the Byker blaze was handled. But
0:09:35 > 0:09:39they believe there are wider lessons to be learnt. I would like
0:09:39 > 0:09:43to see more regulation, more fire safety checks on these premises.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48We've got to know the processes and the equipment and the plant that
0:09:48 > 0:09:53these have. When we turn up to these incidents, we have not got a
0:09:53 > 0:09:58clue what is inside that risk area. And would Ross, a professional
0:09:58 > 0:10:08fireman, live in a house next to a scrapyard? No, I wouldn't consider
0:10:08 > 0:10:10
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Based say you need a degree these days to get on. Here, we have some
0:10:13 > 0:10:18of the lowest rates of kids going on to higher education. And that is
0:10:18 > 0:10:22before any talk of higher fees. Chris Connel, fresh from his
0:10:22 > 0:10:32success on Broadway, has been back to Ashington, home of the Pitmen
0:10:32 > 0:10:33
0:10:33 > 0:10:38Nowadays, those with the brains to get university usually go, right?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41In parts of the self that is true. But not appear. There are whole
0:10:41 > 0:10:45areas where the number of kids going into higher education is very
0:10:45 > 0:10:50small indeed. If you happen to come from a low-income family, that
0:10:50 > 0:10:55figure is minute. Take Northumberland. Only 7% of kids on
0:10:55 > 0:10:58free school meals go on to University. That is third bottom in
0:10:58 > 0:11:05England. And while the total number in England go to university went up
0:11:05 > 0:11:11by nearly 44 % over a decade, it went down by 4% in the Blyth Valley
0:11:11 > 0:11:15and Bedlington area. So why come up here to Bedlington high-school to
0:11:15 > 0:11:19find out what it is that puts so many people off in this county from
0:11:19 > 0:11:23going on to higher education. Is it the height in tuition fees, is it
0:11:23 > 0:11:29simply a case of attitudes? If so, what can we do to change those
0:11:29 > 0:11:33attitudes? This Community High School has around 750 pupils. It's
0:11:33 > 0:11:38rapidly improving, but it still has plenty of bright, able kids who
0:11:38 > 0:11:41rule out University. I've come to talk to Class 11 x one, that would
0:11:41 > 0:11:45be fifth-formers to me and you, to see what they think about
0:11:45 > 0:11:49university. I am used to dealing with one teenager, I've got one at
0:11:49 > 0:11:54home, but 25 of them... This could be a nightmare! I've brought with
0:11:54 > 0:12:00me some pens and every teenager's favourite thing, some Inside Out
0:12:00 > 0:12:10cards. This should be a doddle. I think I will sneak in and sit at
0:12:10 > 0:12:14
0:12:14 > 0:12:22Jackie, Alice, death, Harry, Lewis, Ryan, a Georgina, Ryan, Georgina,
0:12:22 > 0:12:28Charlotte, Emma, Jessica, Adam, Liam, Niall me, KT, Josie. They're
0:12:28 > 0:12:35doing their GCSEs. Could I interrupt? Do you mind if I borrow
0:12:35 > 0:12:43your class career that? Hollow, everybody. Hollow! You're all keen!
0:12:43 > 0:12:51How many of you actually intend to go on to university? 6. He is
0:12:51 > 0:12:55worried about tuition fees. -- who is worried. I asked them what
0:12:55 > 0:13:02percentage of kids on three school meals in this area went to
0:13:02 > 0:13:07university. -- free school meals. You may remember I told you earlier
0:13:07 > 0:13:15it was 7%. While they are diverted, I find out what they really think
0:13:15 > 0:13:20about university. I just think it is quite a lot of money. You have
0:13:20 > 0:13:30to move away and everything. used to guarantee you a job and it
0:13:30 > 0:13:33
0:13:33 > 0:13:36does not any more. �6,000 for that is a bit much. Well, I am just
0:13:36 > 0:13:43going to take a quick break. First impressions? Lovely group of
0:13:43 > 0:13:51students. One of the themes that seems to be dominant is money. How
0:13:51 > 0:13:56much will it cost? During the break, I watched the head in action.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01your shirt tucked in, please. Many students, they believe university
0:14:01 > 0:14:05is not for them, it is for other people. The people who are more
0:14:05 > 0:14:11wealthy, brighter and so on. That is one of the biggest challenges we
0:14:11 > 0:14:16face. We need to instil a sense of persistence, resilience and
0:14:16 > 0:14:21confidence in themselves. Back in class. I am enjoying this. Come
0:14:21 > 0:14:25round this side of the table. You don't want to go? Why? I don't like
0:14:25 > 0:14:30change. I don't want to leave my friends. I don't feel confident
0:14:30 > 0:14:35about applying. There is lots of competition in the south. People
0:14:35 > 0:14:40are expected to go to university from other places than here. Why is
0:14:40 > 0:14:43that? Because they are more polished than us. You've just seen
0:14:43 > 0:14:46me in action. From your professional point of view, clearly
0:14:46 > 0:14:49you must be thinking, "This guy's a natural". I do not know if I
0:14:49 > 0:14:53thought that. You were very good and we always welcome new teachers
0:14:53 > 0:14:56into the school, but you were a bit unclear in your delivery, and
0:14:56 > 0:15:01secondly, I would not have got them standing up after the discussion.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05But overall, well done. Thank you. But I must be more clear! Please.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Thanks, Miss. The comments from the pupils seem out of step compared to
0:15:07 > 0:15:10the rest of England. A survey commissioned by Inside Out
0:15:10 > 0:15:16suggested that around one in ten A- level students in England were put
0:15:16 > 0:15:21off university because of the increased tuition fees. Overall,
0:15:21 > 0:15:28the benefits of university were viewed as outweighing the costs. My
0:15:28 > 0:15:32class are not as sure university would benefit them. The thing is, I
0:15:32 > 0:15:42understand this attitude. My old teacher explains why, by summing up
0:15:42 > 0:15:49my glittering school career. Jack-the-lad! One of the boys. You
0:15:49 > 0:15:54see, that cheeky smile, that is it. That is the face I remember. It is
0:15:54 > 0:15:58not my fault. There has been big changes since I was here. How would
0:15:58 > 0:16:02they cope with me? If you come in after 8.50am, you lose your break.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Twice in one week, you do half an hour on a Friday night. Selling
0:16:06 > 0:16:10your dinner tickets - cannot do that anymore. We have a card system.
0:16:10 > 0:16:15Should I go and stand outside of your office now? I think you would
0:16:15 > 0:16:18have been in detention for some of your behaviour! I did not get any
0:16:18 > 0:16:22A-levels. It was my fault. I did not see the point. Today, I am
0:16:22 > 0:16:28taking the kids to Newcastle University for the first time. Will
0:16:28 > 0:16:32attitudes change? I already had lunch before I got on the buss. I
0:16:33 > 0:16:39think I will go and chat to my friends. Are you not excited we're
0:16:39 > 0:16:49going to university? It is a bit scary. Do you think it will be full
0:16:49 > 0:16:54of professors wandering around with big beards? Hopefully not.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59university has a well worked-out programme for potential students.
0:16:59 > 0:17:05They start by making balloon towers. You might want some different sized
0:17:05 > 0:17:10ones. Next, a hand-knotting type thingy. If you have your eyes open,
0:17:10 > 0:17:15we are going to have to start again. I did not have them open open!
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I'll let you off this once. we're all relaxed... Stand up if
0:17:19 > 0:17:23you think you have the potential to go to university. Well... I like
0:17:23 > 0:17:33your confidence. Then, we're unleashed to take photos and become
0:17:33 > 0:17:37
0:17:37 > 0:17:43familiar with the campus. Three, I stopped for a quick chat to the
0:17:43 > 0:17:46University big-wig. We need to get over to them, actually, it is a
0:17:46 > 0:17:54long-term benefit and they won't start having to pay back the loan
0:17:54 > 0:17:59until they're earning �21,000, and then it is only about �1 per day.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Back with the kids, that message is being hammered home. You don't have
0:18:02 > 0:18:05to start paying off your loan until ten months after you have graduated
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and you have to be earning �21,000. From 2012 entry, the university
0:18:08 > 0:18:17will be offering 20 scholarships, which are full fee scholarships,
0:18:17 > 0:18:25worth �9,000. Has the introduction done the trick? I was unsure, but
0:18:25 > 0:18:32now I do want to go. I got here and I felt staggered. I was worried
0:18:32 > 0:18:37about the costs. What do you think you're going to do now? I am going
0:18:37 > 0:18:41to go. But what about Adam, who is dead against? I would come to
0:18:41 > 0:18:44university. The people I have met have made me feel welcome. It is
0:18:44 > 0:18:51incredible. The fear and money worries seem to have disappeared.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55As I say goodbye to the class, I'm Welling up. Cheers. It was an
0:18:56 > 0:19:05absolute pleasure. Thank you very much. You are out-going, aren't
0:19:06 > 0:19:07
0:19:07 > 0:19:12you? Obviously. Will you miss me? Possibly. See you later. Goodbye. I
0:19:12 > 0:19:15think that was brilliant. I was really pleased. A lot of them were
0:19:15 > 0:19:19undecided, a lot of them are definitely not going to come, but
0:19:19 > 0:19:23each and every one of them is seriously considering it. If they
0:19:23 > 0:19:26do go on to do other things, it is great to know that they have the
0:19:26 > 0:19:31right to make the choice and they can decide whether they're going to
0:19:31 > 0:19:34come here or not. They are as good as anybody else. That is brilliant.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39It changed minds and made a difference. Unfortunately, the
0:19:39 > 0:19:48school says it cannot afford these trips any more. Funding has been
0:19:48 > 0:19:51withdrawn by the Government. That survey that Chris mentioned
0:19:51 > 0:19:55suggests that almost half of all students here in the North would be
0:19:55 > 0:19:59prepared to go abroad to study. But is that the only way to beat the
0:19:59 > 0:20:08fees? We asked our financial guru to tackle the subject that is
0:20:09 > 0:20:11preying on every student's mind. Young, confused and afraid? This is
0:20:12 > 0:20:21what thousands of teenagers across England fear - a lifetime on the
0:20:22 > 0:20:23
0:20:23 > 0:20:27run. But what is chasing them? Student debt. But is it really
0:20:27 > 0:20:31going to be the horrible thing that we have been led to believe?
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Whether you think next year's hike in fees is fair or not, it is
0:20:35 > 0:20:39happening. Young people need to know the facts. I'm going to show
0:20:39 > 0:20:44you what a degree can really cost and how you can avoid those fees
0:20:44 > 0:20:49altogether. Next year, English universities will charge up to
0:20:49 > 0:20:57�9,000 a year. With living costs on top, graduates can face debts of
0:20:57 > 0:21:01around �50,000. But how much will they actually end up paying back?
0:21:01 > 0:21:04I've come to meet some sixth- formers in Birmingham to show them.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08I think the number is going to shock them. I think that earning
0:21:08 > 0:21:13interest over such a long time that you pay back that loan, there
0:21:13 > 0:21:17really is a number that most people do not think about. Let's imagine
0:21:17 > 0:21:23that you graduate from university with �50,000 worth of debt. And you
0:21:23 > 0:21:31get a high-paying job, which we expect Jacob will get! How much of
0:21:31 > 0:21:38that money do you have to pay back? I'm not quite sure. Is it all of
0:21:39 > 0:21:48it? You have to pay back all of it and more. Oh, interest? Interest.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Oh, God. Oh, God, is right! �75,000. Is that just for one person? Yes.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01That is horrible. Is that just for the average degree of three years.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Yes. If you take out the maximum loan. But what if, for some reason,
0:22:04 > 0:22:14their careers do not go as planned and they never earne more than
0:22:14 > 0:22:14
0:22:14 > 0:22:16�21,000 a year? The amount you have to payback is...? Zero. So what is
0:22:17 > 0:22:22going on? Basically, the repayment of the
0:22:22 > 0:22:28loan works like taxes. The more you earn, the more you pay back. If you
0:22:28 > 0:22:30never earn above a certain amount, then you never pay back a penny.
0:22:30 > 0:22:37The new independent taskforce on student finance is led by Martin
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Lewis. The biggest confusion out there is
0:22:39 > 0:22:44that people confuse the price tag - these �9,000 fees, totalling
0:22:44 > 0:22:48�50,000 at the end of university - with the actual cost. This is a
0:22:48 > 0:22:53very different type of system. Many people won't come close to repaying
0:22:53 > 0:22:56in full what they borrowed. Some will not repay anything at all. The
0:22:56 > 0:23:02bewildering fact that is putting people off going to university is
0:23:02 > 0:23:06the fact that people are looking at the price tag and not the cost.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12But most graduates will face large debt. Is there any way of avoiding
0:23:12 > 0:23:19the fees? Yes. You can study abroad. At the recent StudentWorld Fair in
0:23:19 > 0:23:22London, teenagers discover just how much they can save. I think
0:23:22 > 0:23:27everyone would rather go to a university where they're paying
0:23:27 > 0:23:31�8,000 cheaper than the UK. If the fees are a lot cheaper, that is
0:23:31 > 0:23:37more attractive. In fact, dozens of universities across Europe offer
0:23:37 > 0:23:43courses taught in English. The fees differ from country to country, but
0:23:43 > 0:23:46in Scandinavia, tuition is free. Denmark, we have no tuition fees.
0:23:46 > 0:23:54The Danish government pays for Danish students and, according to
0:23:54 > 0:23:58European Union rules, we have to treat other EU citizens alike.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Harriet Moore has already taken the plunge. She is off back to
0:24:02 > 0:24:08university in Slovakia. I'm trying to save money on my flights, so
0:24:08 > 0:24:16hand-luggage it is! Over there, she saves a fortune on living costs,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19spending just �100 a month. I caught up with her via web cam.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23What could be the piece of advice you would give to anyone
0:24:23 > 0:24:27considering doing what you have done? If you are considering it,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30you should go for it, definitely. It is worth doing. You have to be a
0:24:30 > 0:24:40bit brave for the first plane journey, but I would never look
0:24:40 > 0:24:46
0:24:46 > 0:24:53Time's up. I want my money. I want my �50,000.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56So, studying overseas may be one way to avoid the debt.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00But there are downsides. If you study abroad, the government here
0:25:00 > 0:25:05will not give you a loan. Only some of the courses are taught in
0:25:05 > 0:25:10English and some employers might not recognise foreign degrees. So
0:25:10 > 0:25:14you need to do your homework. Another way of beating the fees is
0:25:14 > 0:25:20to get someone else to pay. But who? London's financial heartland
0:25:20 > 0:25:25is a good place to look. Don't be fooled by the power suits! Believe
0:25:25 > 0:25:32it or not, these youngsters are all freshers. They are being sponsored
0:25:32 > 0:25:35by accountancy giant, KPMG. The entire package was a degree, a
0:25:35 > 0:25:42salary, tuition fees were paid, you got a job at the end and you were
0:25:42 > 0:25:46helped to become a qualified and chartered accountant.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50It sounds too good to be true. Was there any catch?
0:25:50 > 0:25:55I have not seen one. I do not think there is one. As with everything,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59you have to work hard and that is the only catch.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04And the man who runs the programme tells me KPMG do not offer the
0:26:04 > 0:26:08stereotypical student experience. This is an extremely intensive
0:26:08 > 0:26:12programme. They have to work for us, study for their degree and get
0:26:12 > 0:26:20their chartered accounting qualification in six years. That
0:26:20 > 0:26:25will require hard work and that's all we really ask of the students.
0:26:25 > 0:26:34But is there another way of avoiding the debt? Well, you can
0:26:34 > 0:26:37pay up front. This 16-year-old girl is trying to do just that. As well
0:26:37 > 0:26:42as studying for her A-levels, she sells beauty products on her
0:26:42 > 0:26:45website. I started my business because I
0:26:45 > 0:26:50wanted to save up for university because of the rising prices of the
0:26:50 > 0:26:54university fees. It would be too much for my parents to pay for it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59I hope to not get into debt, because I know it takes a long time
0:26:59 > 0:27:02to get out of debt. I do not want to be in that place.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06The Government allows students to pay up front. But most will have to
0:27:06 > 0:27:14take out a loan. But one financial expert believes that graduates
0:27:14 > 0:27:20could end up paying back far more than anyone has predicted.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24This financial journalist is warning students to beware.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27The problem is that the deal is actually not a deal.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30There are all these numbers flying about saying that you will be
0:27:30 > 0:27:33charged a certain rate of interest on the loan, that your repayments
0:27:33 > 0:27:36will start at �21,000, over that you will be paying a certain
0:27:36 > 0:27:41percentage, but none of those parameters are in the contract that
0:27:41 > 0:27:44the student signs up for. In fact, the Government can change those
0:27:44 > 0:27:49numbers if it wants to in five years' time, ten years' time, 20
0:27:49 > 0:27:53years' time, 30 years' time. Students could end up paying a lot
0:27:53 > 0:27:57more. But any big changes would have to
0:27:57 > 0:28:03be approved by Parliament. Like many Americans, I graduated with
0:28:03 > 0:28:07the equivalent of tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt. It was
0:28:07 > 0:28:17daunting. But if you know the facts, student debt does not have to be
0:28:17 > 0:28:20
0:28:20 > 0:28:24scary. I confronted it and so can That is all for tonight. I have
0:28:24 > 0:28:28more information on that university survey on my blog. I would also
0:28:28 > 0:28:37like to hear your views on the price of education. Just go to my