In writing about the UK situation with higher education funding (Oxford agreed that it too must charge maximum fees but is somehow funding an elaborate set-up of bursaries to keep costs at present level for those below a certain threshold, since you ask), it's being hard to keep my terminology straight. The demon organisation that holds the money is HEFCE: Higher Education Funding Council for England. England? Yes, because Scotland doesn't have tuition fees, the Liberal Democrats having abolished them in 2000. Yes, the same Liberal Democrats who just raised them in England. There are two governments operating here, in other words, so talking about 'the UK HE situation' is a bit misleading. If you're outside the country (or the state, which as we've just exposed are not the same thing) this is probably a bit hard to follow. It's hard enough on the inside! Happily, help is at hand:



"Such are the oddities that arise when dealing with a thousand-year-old monarchy", as the man says. It was never meant to be this complicated, honestly! But, history happened... Hat tip to the ever-interesting Vaulting and Vellum!