Even as we slowly emerge from lockdown and see a soon ease on covid restrictions, we still look onto the troubles covid has caused for the current university students experience, but also a multitude of soon to be university students experience. 

With the arrival of Coronavirus to the UK we saw a frenzy of closures across the country which soon ushered the online world into works. From this our nation reverted to online work, online shopping, and even online school. This is where university students were one of the hardest hit, turning to spending thousands of pounds yearly to complete schooling on a computer at home daily instead of on campus.

Many university students felt this to be extremely unjust, accompanying the fact university is already an incredibly expensive in itself, they were now paying these thousands to just be at home. These students sadly missing out on the supposed freedoms and lively hood of the university experience. Results to the situation had hundreds of thousands signing petitions to reimburse university students of their rent and/or tuition fees during 2020/21 covid online schooling. Additionally, there was the petition to reduce university fees from the £9,250 back to the £3,000 that it was prior to the 2010 - 2015 coalition government. Unfortunately, even though the amount of signatures warranted it being discussed in Parliament, as it briefly was, the request was not granted. 

As a year 12 student myself, along with many others sixth form/college students, there’s been great doubt further on our own online schooling experience and how this could greatly affect us going into university. Seeing the government deal with current GCSE/A level examination students providing sufficient worry, as well as reflection on the education minister’s decided grading system in 2020 alongside the troubling times we are currently in on what will happen for us in coming time.

It’s been rather stressful trying to look into universities during the pandemic, the virtual open days seeming too scripted and impersonal making so I am unable to gauge what the university is actually like with it being over a screen. I do have hopes that once the government begins to lift the lockdown in the coming months we will be able to visit the campuses and get a better idea of what the universities are really like.” - Amaan Sohail, year 12 student

Due to covid, 2021/22 university entry students are of the first to experience online university open days as they’re not able to travel in person due to the national lockdown. But to accommodate there’s been an array of online work experience courses, lectures/webinars, etc. provided for us that although extremely helpful, for some can subtly miss the essence of the real thing.

However, with recent revelations of sixthform/college students return to school from March 8th, practical course university students return, and the structured easing of restriction to emerge safely from lockdown by the government. We now pin our hopes on better or at least sufficient GCSE/A level grading to 2020 for 2021 that’ll otherwise link to potential future uni acceptances. Additionally, anticipating life return to somewhat normality following June 21st for many allowing for all these students to resume the usually expected university experience.