More than 6,000 high schools students on Tuesday flooded the San Diego National College Fair at the San Diego Convention Center.
Joseph Kirk, an education coordinator from the British Embassy, told students they might be able to afford to study abroad if they can afford a University of California education.
Going to university in the United Kingdom costs just a bit more than going to a UC college, Kirk said.
“Once you add everything in, including flights, accommodation, tuition fees, the average ends up being about $35,000 a year for an American student,” Kirk said. “And they can take their FASFA federal loans to the UK.”
According to the UCLA website, California residents can expect to spend just over $34,000 a year if they live on campus. Off-campus housing lowers that a bit to $30,000.
Along with the comparable cost, getting an undergraduate degree at a United Kingdom university can take less time.
“The U.S. system was actually based off of the Scottish model, so that’s why we get that 12-year primary-secondary with a four-year undergraduate degree,” Kirk said. “England, Wales, Northern Ireland have 13-year primary-secondary educational system with three years undergraduate degrees.”
Adding it all up, four years at UCLA could cost around $136,000 while three years at a university in the United Kingdom could cost $105,000.
