A degree for £27,000? Pourquoi pas

By Georgina Gold

British students are often told to consider studying abroad these days – not only to soak up a foreign culture, but to benefit from lower fees.

So it may comes as a surprise that more than 13,000 French students are coming the other way, currently studying at UK universities in preference to French state universities despite having to pay tuition fees of between £3,000 and £9,000 per year in the UK.

That's instead of just €181 per year in France.

So why do French students find it is worth the extra cost? What do they see in our much-castigated university system that we seem to overlook?

I finished my secondary education in France and was awarded the International French Baccalaureate, the A-level equivalent. But I chose to take my degree in the UK.

From my own experience in the French system, and from speaking to my fellow students, the main difference is the teaching. The French teaching method is more 'chalk and talk'.

The learning process is less interactive and classes are a lot bigger, so tutors don't get time to know the students. It is a lot about testing knowledge, not understanding.

Flora Collardeau, PR student at the University of Westminster, agrees. She says: “Before attending a British university I went to a French university for a year but disliked the teaching method. I was in a class or lecture hall of around 1,500 students, we listened and took notes."

In fact, 80 per cent of those interviewed in a recent study said they believed that graduating with a British BA hons would help them find better work opportunities than graduating with the French equivalent, a Licence. This was in large part due to the type of teaching involved.

“In the British system you learn how important it is to interact with one another through group assignments and how to present your ideas, these are crucial skills in the working world, employers like that,” according to Julie Delmar, a Business student at University of Nottingham.

There is of course another benefit: “Employers value the English language and studying at a British university shows a high level of comprehension of English."

Another 90 per cent of those in the survey said they believe that through studying at a British university they will become more independent and better prepared for post-graduate life.

“Leaving home was a key factor as it taught me how to be more responsible with every day activities such as cooking, bills and budgeting. In France you don’t usually learn this until a lot later on in life as most students live at home,” said Camille Howe, who studies Fine Art at the University of Kent.

One other advantage is the range of course on offer in the UK. Eighty per cent of French students surveyed said a main attraction was the choice of subjects and courses offered by UK universities compared to those in France.

“Students in France aren't given much variety in course options," said Talitha Landeau who is studying at the University of Westminster. "The arts, like media studies and PR, are difficult to find in French universities unless you take the subjects in a private fee paying business school."

The debate will continue to rage on over whether £9,000 per year degrees still offer value for money. It's worth remembering that plenty of people across the Channel think they do.

A version of this article first appeared in Student Times /Telegraph