Why Student Loans Replaced Grants

During the 1980s, the UK government provided student grants to support higher education, allowing students to pursue their studies without accumulating debt. However, in the 1990s, the government shifted its approach towards funding higher education by introducing student loans as a means of financing students’ academic pursuits. This change was largely influenced by the increasing demand for higher education, budgetary constraints, and a desire to shift the financial burden from the government to individual students. As a result, the transition from student grants to student loans aimed to provide sustainable funding for a growing number of students while also redefining the financial responsibility for higher education costs.