A Nigerian woman based in the United Kingdom has ignited a fiery online conversation after sharing her experience with the UK’s higher education system, exposing what she describes as a profit-driven model that disproportionately targets international students.
Chiamaka, whose candid remarks have gone viral, detailed her journey of paying a staggering £23,750 (over ₦46 million) for a one-year degree, only to realise the harsh reality upon entering her classroom. “There was no single Brit citizen in my class. We were all Africans, Asians, Chinese, Australians, but no UK British citizens,” she revealed.
The Price of International Education
Chiamaka highlighted the stark disparity in tuition fees between international and domestic students. While UK citizens pay approximately £9,000 annually and have access to government loans, international students are charged exorbitant fees—often triple the amount—with no financial support.
“The Way UK universities market themselves to us, Africans, you will think they want to help us, but it’s not true. They don’t care about us: they care about our 30 million naira and our brain power,” she asserted. This economic reality, she argues, explains why British students are conspicuously absent from international classrooms. “They don’t need their university, that’s why their university needs us.”
A System Built on International Dependency
Chiamaka’s observations point to a fundamental dependence of UK institutions on foreign enrollment. Without international students, she questioned, “How will they operate?” The UK higher education sector has increasingly relied on tuition from overseas students to offset funding gaps, with international fees serving as a critical revenue stream for universities facing domestic budget constraints.
The Apprenticeship Alternative
Central to Chiamaka’s critique is the comparison with the UK’s robust apprenticeship system. She noted that British citizens have viable alternatives to traditional university education. “If you want to become a nurse, dentist, business administrator, project manager, engineer, etc., you don’t have to go to university,” she explained.
Through apprenticeships, individuals can work, earn money, and gain practical skills simultaneously. “At the end of the day, you are coming out fully equipped with the skills and experience necessary to excel in the field.” This system, she argued, is superior to spending “5 to 6 years in the classroom, paying the school huge amounts, just to learn theory without much real-life practical experiences.”
Grim Job Prospects for Graduates
Chiamaka delivered a sobering warning to prospective international students about post-graduation realities. “When you finish struggling and manage to graduate, you will join the bandwagon of unemployed graduates,” she cautioned. “Funny part? UK employers will still employ someone who did apprentices over a graduate.”
She contrasted the challenging job market for general business degrees with the consistent demand for educators. “With your qualifications, you will get a job as a history teacher. But with an MSc in business administration? You need a long neck, long leg and long hands that reach out to heaven before you get a chance.”
A Path Forward: Scholarships and Strategic Choices
Despite her critique, Chiamaka offered practical guidance for those still pursuing a UK education. “Whatever you can do to minimise the cost of getting an education in this country, please do it,” she urged. “Nobody cares how much you paid, or the school u attended.”
She specifically highlighted teaching as a strategic field, noting starting salaries of up to £32,000 annually. In a timely development, she shared news of a £31,000 IOP Teacher Training Scholarship with a deadline of Thursday, February 19, 2026, encouraging prospective students to apply.
“If u must pay that huge money, spend it wisely,” she concluded, urging students to pursue grants, bursaries, and strategic fields that offer clear employment pathways. Her message resonates as a wake-up call for international students navigating a system where financial investment does not guarantee returns, and where strategic choices can make the difference between debt and opportunity.
