From an initial seven clients in 2013, Albion International Study had 117 by 2019. Brexit, however, has provided a new challenge. In the past, Romanian citizens had access to the UK student loan system and got their tuition fees paid — some £19,000 (€22,000) a year or around £34,000 (€40,000) for medical students. This meant that students from not particularly affluent backgrounds had a chance of getting into a UK university.
This is no longer the case. “The effect of Brexit has been massive”, says Parker. “It has changed our client demographic quite considerably. We now work more with families who can afford to pay. If you combine minimum tuition fee with living costs, it’s €30,000 a year minimum. Absolute minimum.”
Parker estimates that in 2021, which he describes as “a transitional year”, he will have around 60 clients. “Brexit has been a disaster,” says Parker, “for British universities and for diversity at British universities.”