Current Freshers going abroad for a year in 2013/14 will have their fees reduced by almost £3,000 each, following a successful intervention by OUSU. Due to government changes in student fees, Home/EU students going abroad for their second year in 2013/14 would otherwise have had to pay £4,500 fees to Oxford, almost £3,000 more that students in the year above (who paid £1,725) or students in the year below (who will pay £1,350). The lowering of fees will apply to students studying Arabic, Russian and European and Middle-Eastern Languages (EMEL), a group of over 50 students.

Earlier in the year several students alerted OUSU to the inequity and unfairness of this situation, and following successful discussions between OUSU and the University, the University agreed for fees to be reduced to £1,725, saving students a total of £150,000. The decision marks the successful culmination of several weeks of OUSU repeatedly raising the issue on behalf of Oriental Studies students.

David Messling, OUSU Vice-President (Access & Academic Affairs) said, ‘This is a great example of OUSU listening to student concerns, raising them with the University, and achieving real results for our members. We’re pleased to see that the University has responded to OUSU’s concerns over the unfairness of the £4,500 fee, and agreed, at relatively short notice, to make the change!”

Nominations are open now for the 2013 Division Representative elections. Division Representatives work within the academic divisions (Humanities, Medical Sciences, MPLS, Social Sciences) to improve the experience of students.

The roles are a great opportunity to change and improve your course, and the course of thousands of students like you. There are 8 positions 1 undergraduate and 1 postgraduate position in each Division.

For more information on how to get involved click on the flyer below