IELTS Task 2: Free University Education
The Question
Some people believe that university education should be free for all students, funded entirely by the government. Others argue that students should pay tuition fees themselves. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- •Address the 'free education' argument: equality of access, economic returns to society, public good
- •Address the 'students pay' argument: financial sustainability, personal responsibility, graduate premium
- •State your own clear position in the introduction and conclusion
- •Use specific examples or evidence to support each side
Sample Band 8 Response
226 wordsWritten by EduForEveryone — for guidance only. Not an official examiner response.
It is sometimes argued that higher education should be entirely state-funded, while others maintain that students ought to contribute towards their own tuition. This essay will consider both positions before concluding that a balanced, means-tested system is preferable.
Those who favour free university education emphasise equality of opportunity. When tuition is funded by the government, talented students from poorer backgrounds are not deterred by debt, allowing society to benefit from their potential. Moreover, a highly educated population tends to drive economic growth and innovation, so the investment arguably repays itself through higher tax revenues and a more skilled workforce.
On the other hand, supporters of tuition fees point to financial sustainability. Universities are expensive to run, and funding them entirely from taxation places a heavy burden on citizens who may never attend. It can also be argued that graduates earn considerably more over their lifetimes, so it is only fair that they contribute towards a qualification from which they personally profit.
In my view, both arguments have merit, and the ideal solution lies between the two extremes. Education should not be a privilege reserved for the wealthy, but nor is it reasonable to expect taxpayers to bear the entire cost. A system in which fees are charged but generous, means-tested support is available to those who need it would, I believe, achieve both fairness and sustainability.