A new Prime Minister, a new Chancellor, and an unresolved system
With Andy Burnham sworn in on Monday and John Healey named Chancellor, this examines what the change means for student loans — the frozen threshold, the interest cap introduced in April, and an inquiry that found the system was mis-sold. Burnham has a long record of criticising it; the constraint is the Treasury arithmetic that defeated every previous reform. Student finance explained covers the current terms.
Applicants still believe in university — but want different things from it
New evidence finds applicants remain convinced a degree is worth having while changing what they expect from it: employability, flexibility and affordability ahead of the traditional residential experience. It sits oddly beside polling showing a third of the public no longer think it is worth the money, and the difference is that applicants are deciding for themselves.
“Please don’t do it just because you can”: AI in admissions
A warning against universities adopting AI in admissions for speed alone — automated matching, risk scoring and application triage all embed whatever the training data assumed. For applicants it means the personal statement may be read by a system before a person, which is an argument for clarity over flourish.