Universities could go bankrupt and cut courses if tuition fees are reduced for European students coming to Britain.
Institutions are expected to cut jobs and accept fewer British students if the plans go ahead, with courses in science and engineering particularly at risk.
Sir Keir Starmer has reportedly offered to cut fees for EU students to £9,790, in line with domestic UK undergraduates, as part of post-Brexit trade negotiations with the bloc.
The Russell Group of elite universities said the move would force institutions to make “painful choices” and “strain” courses like medicine, while an industry expert said it could be “the final straw” for universities already on the brink.
EU students make up at least 10 per cent of students at 25 universities and higher education providers, leaving them most exposed to the impact, The i Paper‘s analysis of data from the Higher Education Statistics Authority found.
