[PaulRyansew]

There is probably more opportunity for poor people to get out of their situation in the UK than there is in many other European countries. University education is heavily subsidised and there are an increasing amount of programmes aimed at getting working class people into university. The UK has at least an average level of social mobility.

On the whole higher education in the UK is LESS elitist than a lot of European countries. In the UK all the Polytechnics have been relabled universities, while in Europe they are still called polytechnics.

University is proportionally (by comparison to living costs or incomes elsewhere) cheaper or free in most other (developed) European countries. As someone who works with international office in the university and international students I can tell you that much.

[Yessaniloas]

In the UK you could notice to which social class a person belongs to only by earing his accent, you wrote about the "chavs", chavs have nothing to do with social classes the are only criminals, they belong to the working class.

Accent doesn't mean much these days. There are upwardly mobile people with all types of accents. The easiest way is to spot a class difference is to see the way the individual dresses.

[Misespimb]

University is proportionally (by comparison to living costs or incomes elsewhere) cheaper or free in most other (developed) European countries. As someone who works with international office in the university and international students I can tell you that much.

That is true infact, although there are lots of bursaries awarded to 'intelligent' chavs- yes I realise thats rather counter intuitive!

[texprofi]

This is a feature of all countries. Are you honestly suggesting a poor person on welfare in Italy speaks EXACTLY the same as people who were born into wealthy families who earn 200,000 Euros a year?

I have to agree with DogHouse on this particular point. Here in Flanders, I can predict which socio-economic class someone belongs to with a 95 % success rate just by listening to the way they speak, how far their accent is from being Standard Dutch.

[Dabdklwu]

"Free education" is somewhat similar to a oxymoron, since education is payed through taxes. Which is why many countries with "free education" have somewhat higher taxes than countries were education isn't "free".

[Trissinas]

What on earth are you talking about? I've never heard a British person introduce themselves and state their class, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

I've never heard this either.

Yes, they do. Not necessary the class but the title "sir" is a form of elitism, dont worry i like it. Also the social classes issue is always present in a discussion or conversation that involves British people: i.e. int the last elections the poshy style of David Cameron was important to the BBC and the Telegraph. Last week the BBC post an article on the Internet about the traditions on the Universities as a factor of exclusion between students.

[6M8PJigS]

Umm time ago I read an article which talked about classism in Chile, and a woman who was in the UK said something like "Chile and the UK are the countries in the world where to know the social class of someone listening to how s/he talks is easiest"... So I'll say Britain.

[Dodoerabe]

Guide to the UK class sytem - FUNNY !!

[Dndjzirw]

University is proportionally (by comparison to living costs or incomes elsewhere) cheaper or free in most other (developed) European countries. As someone who works with international office in the university and international students I can tell you that much.

Universities in Spain and Italy charge from £1,500 to £2,000 years depending on course. Considering the average wage in those two countries is slightly lower than the UK, I'd say proportionally that is a similar cost.

[TudareWQT]

Universities in Spain and Italy charge from £1,500 to £2,000 years depending on course. Considering the average wage in those two countries is slightly lower than the UK, I'd say proportionally that is a similar cost.

In the Complutense you don´t pay that much unless you are repeating all your subjects your 6th time. Good students pay around 600€. The average student pays around 800-900€

[Zenunlild]

In the Complutense you don´t pay that much unless you are repeating all your subjects your 6th time. Good students pay around 600€. The average student pays around 800-900€

Which is probably why you rank very poorly in research....

Whereas UK is certainly top 5.

[NikolaAAA]

In the Complutense you don´t pay that much unless you are repeating all your subjects your 6th time. Good students pay around 600€. The average student pays around 800-900€

Haha, what? So you have to pay more if you're a lousy student? A very interesting system.

In Flanders a year of college is about 500-600€ - I enrolled for my third year just last week, so I'll probably get the bill soon.

[BalaGire]

Haha, what? So you have to pay more if you're a lousy student? A very interesting system.

In Flanders a year of college is about 500-600€ - I enrolled for my third year just last week, so I'll probably get the bill soon.

Yep, you can repeat a subject 6 times until you´re kicked out from the university. So everytime you have an "extra" chance it gets more expensive.

[VYholden]

Yep, you can repeat a subject 6 times until you´re kicked out from the university. So everytime you have an "extra" chance it gets more expensive.

I've heard Spanish universities tend to have a very "open" admissions policy and basically give anyone a go, while in the UK universities only take students who they are reasonably certain have the aptitude to pass the course?

[casinobonusese]

I've heard Spanish universities tend to have a very "open" admissions policy and basically give anyone a go, while in the UK universities only take students who they are reasonably certain have the aptitude to pass the course?

I think that goes for most European universities. At my university (KUL) there are absolutely no entrance requirements for most courses, other than a high school diploma. Everyone gets a shot, but that obviously also means there is a very high rate of failure; in some courses, less than half the students make it to their second year. The downside is that a lot of time gets wasted, but I like the idea that absolutely anyone has access to a college education.

[HedgeYourBets]

I've heard Spanish universities tend to have a very "open" admissions policy and basically give anyone a go, while in the UK universities only take students who they are reasonably certain have the aptitude to pass the course?

Everybody have to pass a final exam after the high school called "Selectividad". So that exams counts like the 50% (in my times at least) and the last 2 courses of the high school the other 50%. Then you get a qualification between 0-10. If you´ve 5 or more you can go to the university and the qualifications required vary a lot depending on the university and on the studies.
For example you need maybe just 5.5 to study Filosophy or other degree with low demand but you need a 9/10 to study Medicine in the Complutense of Madrid.
It´s a system based on offer and demand basically. Sometimes kind of cruel for some people. Universities dont decide anything, except the few private ones.

[Lhiistyssdds]

Haha, what? So you have to pay more if you're a lousy student? A very interesting system.

In Flanders a year of college is about 500-600€ - I enrolled for my third year just last week, so I'll probably get the bill soon.

WHAT? OMFG! That's so unfair! I've gotta pay that EVERY MONTH for University here in Chile

[DF9sLGSU]

WHAT? OMFG! That's so unfair! I've gotta pay that EVERY MONTH for University here in Chile

I'd say it's a trade-off; your parents are probably subjected to much lower taxes than mine are. Belgium is notorious for its strenuous tax burden.

When it comes to education, I think I still prefer our system, though.

[JJoon077]

I'd say it's a trade-off; your parents are probably subjected to much lower taxes than mine are. Belgium is notorious for its strenuous tax burden.

When it comes to education, I think I still prefer our system, though.

Yeah, I think so too, and I also prefer your system

[nushentelve]

Iceland seems to do the best. They have one of the lowest tax rates in the world yet still have good social provisions.