Gap Year News Articles

Mind The Gap Campaign Launched

17 Dec 2010

Youth groups have launched a campaign to challenge the government's position on the tuition fees rise and called for a gap year clause in the tuition fees bill.

Bnei Akiva (BA) and the Federation of Zionist Youth (FZY) started the "Mind the Gap" petition out of concern that the prospect of paying fees of up to £9,000 would discourage students from taking a year out before university. Both organisations run popular schemes taking British school-leavers to volunteer and study in Israel before continuing their full time studies. More than 1,100 people have signed the petition, while representatives from the movements met MPs Matthew Offord and Mike Freer last Monday in the House of Commons to discuss the possibility of proposing an amendment. Following Thursday's vote, universities will be able to increase their fees to up to £9,000 a year. The change will affect students entering university in autumn 2012, including those currently in their final year of school who have already applied for a deferred place. Francesca Wolfe, national director of FZY, pointed out that when fees were previously raised in 2006, the then-Labour government included a "gap year clause" in the legislation. She said their campaign was designed to encourage the government to offer the same exemption for students taking a gap year in 2011.

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