"Do a Part-Time Job in Your Spare Time"... UK Universities Introducing '3 Days a Week' System with One-Room Apartments at 2.7 Million KRW per Month

Expansion of '3 Days a Week Classes' for Students Balancing Work and Study
76% of University Students Say "Living Expenses Burden... Negative Impact on Studies"
"Without Measures, It Will Become an 'Elite Children Education Institution'"

In the UK, a "three-day-a-week class" system is gaining attention as universities try to support students struggling with soaring prices and rent. Unlike the traditional schedule with lectures and seminars spread throughout the week, the academic workload has been significantly reduced to about 2-3 days.

According to the British daily The Guardian on the 26th of last month (local time), UK universities are introducing "Compact Teaching" to accommodate students who have taken on part-time jobs and other means to support their living expenses.

Starting this fall semester, De Montfort University, Coventry University (Greenwich and Dagenham campuses), University of Sunderland, London South Bank University, Anglia Ruskin University (London campus), and the UK College of Law will implement three-day-a-week compact classes. The remaining two days are intended for students to earn living expenses.

De Montfort University piloted this system in some departments last year. According to the university's own survey, students who actively utilized the three-day compact classes reported a higher quality of life and about 10% greater happiness compared to those who did not. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Katy Normington stated, "We received positive feedback from enrolled students."

As inflation has made it difficult to cover living costs and rent, students are balancing studies and work. A June survey by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) of 10,000 university students in the UK found that 55% of respondents are juggling both study and work, working an average of 13.5 hours per week. This is an increasing trend compared to 34% in 2021 and 45% in 2022.

London Rent Up 20% Over 3 Years... One-Room Monthly Rent 2.7 Million Won

London's rent, already notorious for being high, has risen by about 20% over the past three years, reaching record highs. According to real estate agency Savills, the median rent for a one-room property currently stands at ?1,600 per month (approximately 2.7 million won).

The two-year fixed-rate mortgage interest rate in the UK surged from 4.5% in August last year to 6.6% at the end of August this year. This has significantly increased interest payment burdens for London rental property owners, who are reportedly passing these costs on to tenants.

Price inflation is also considerable. The UK's Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate in July was 6.8%, the lowest in one year and five months since the Ukraine war began, but still more than three times the Bank of England's inflation target of 2%.

Given these circumstances, the number of students considering dropping out is also rising. In the aforementioned HEPI survey, 76% of respondents said that the burden of rent and groceries negatively affected their studies. Earlier, in March, a survey by the Russell Group (24 prestigious UK universities) student union found that one in five respondents considered dropping out due to living cost issues.

A HEPI official expressed concern, saying, "If the government does not take timely and appropriate measures, universities will become educational institutions only for the wealthy and privileged children."

The issue of student financial hardship is also being raised in UK politics. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer recently criticized the government, saying, "If I were attending school now, I would struggle with living costs amid the bleak economic situation and soaring prices, and might not even graduate."

However, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt stated on the 2nd, "Inflation is falling as we enter autumn," and "We will halve inflation within the year to ease the burden on households and businesses."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.