Home / Education / Free University

Free university, weighed up

Making higher education free can open doors for poorer students and reduce debt — but it also raises questions about cost, quality, fairness to taxpayers and whether students take degrees seriously when they pay nothing. Both sides below.

Four reasons it should be free Four reasons students should pay

Arguments for free

Equal access

  • Poor students can attend without fear of fees
  • Talent matters more than family income
  • Reduces inequality in society

Less student debt

  • Graduates start adult life without heavy loans
  • Easier to buy a home or start a business
  • Less financial stress during study

Public benefit

  • Educated citizens strengthen the economy
  • More doctors, engineers and teachers when cost is lower
  • Education supports national development

Education as a right

  • Basic opportunity should not depend on wealth
  • Similar logic to free primary and secondary school
  • Encourages lifelong learning and social mobility

Arguments for paying

Government cost

  • Universities are expensive to run
  • Free tuition means higher taxes for everyone
  • Less money for hospitals, roads and schools

Personal responsibility

  • Students may value degrees more when they invest money
  • Paying encourages careful choice of course
  • Reduces dropouts from casual enrolment

Quality and funding

  • Fee income can improve facilities and research
  • Universities may become overcrowded if demand surges
  • Quality may fall without sustainable funding

Fairness to taxpayers

  • Not everyone chooses to go to university
  • Workers in trades still pay tax for others' degrees
  • Graduates often earn more and could repay later

A common middle path is not full free tuition for all, but targeted support through scholarships, income-based fees or delayed repayment after graduation.

Sample essay — PTE format (discuss both views)

Some people believe that university education should be free for everyone, while others argue that students should pay for their higher education. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

The cost of higher education is a major public debate in many countries. While some people believe that university should be free for everyone, others argue that students should contribute to the cost of their degrees. This essay will discuss both views and give my own opinion.

On the one hand, there are strong arguments for free university education. First, it improves equal access to higher education. When tuition is free or heavily subsidised, talented students from low-income families are more likely to attend university. For example, a bright student whose parents cannot afford fees should not be excluded simply because of poverty. Second, free university reduces student debt. Many graduates today spend years repaying large loans, which delays buying a home or starting a business. Removing fees can reduce this burden and allow young people to begin their careers with greater financial freedom. Third, society benefits when more citizens are highly educated. Doctors, engineers, teachers and researchers all contribute to economic growth and public services, so investing in education can benefit the whole country. Finally, some people view education as a basic right, similar to primary and secondary schooling, which should not depend on wealth.

On the other hand, there are also good reasons why students should pay for higher education. One concern is the cost to government. Running universities requires large amounts of money for staff, buildings, libraries and research. If all tuition were free, governments would need to raise taxes or reduce spending in other areas such as healthcare and transport. Another argument is personal responsibility. When students pay for their degrees, they may take their studies more seriously and choose courses more carefully. For instance, a student who invests in tuition may be less likely to drop out after one year. In addition, fees can help maintain quality. University income supports better facilities and smaller class sizes. If entry became completely free without extra funding, overcrowding could reduce the quality of teaching. Finally, it may seem unfair to taxpayers who never attend university, especially workers in trades, if they must pay for others to obtain degrees that often lead to higher salaries.

In conclusion, free university education offers important advantages such as equal access, lower debt and wider public benefit, but it also raises problems related to government cost, quality and fairness to taxpayers. In my opinion, education should be highly affordable, but not completely free for everyone. A better system uses scholarships for poor students and income-based repayment after graduation, so access is fair without placing the full burden on the public budget.

Word count: ~360 · Intro + 2 body paragraphs + conclusion · examples in each body · opinion in conclusion