The student with three jobs, and other stories

University fees are set to rise in England. But do the neighbours fare any better? Jasper Rees goes on a European tour and meets the students of Generation Skint.

The writer embarks on a tour of four universities to see how students at universities outside England survive financially. He visited Heidelberg, Milan, Maastricht and Paris. In each city he met students and asked the same questions. How much does their course cost? How much do they pay for accommodation? Who pays—parents, state or student? How much paid work are they doing to keep body and soul together? And how would they react if they were told their tuition would cost £9,000 a year? At the last question, a lot of jaws hit the floor.