Charging students is the fairest way to fund universities.
Charging students means that those who don't benefit from higher education don't have to pay for it.
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Context
The average female graduate will earn, in her lifetime, £250,000 more than a peer who does not go to university. As a result, she should help fund higher education, rather than the lesser-paid peer [1].
The Argument
In the current system, only the students who go to uni, and thus reap the financial and social advantages, are the ones who pay for it. It would be unfair for those in manual, lesser-paid jobs to pay for this service through taxation, seeing as they get no gain from it. Furthermore, as the students will benefit from the research done in their department, it is only fair to ask them to help contribute to the work done there.
Counter arguments
The argument that not only the student benefits is countered by the 'public good' debate. Return to the main argument page to view this.
Proponents
Premises
P1. Those who benefit most from higher education ought to pay for it.
P2. Ergo, the student should pay for higher education.
Rejecting the premises
Rejecting P1. It is not only the student that benefits.