As the UK government considers controversial proposals to introduce variable tuition fees in England, we look at university funding in five different countries and ask how it affects students studying there. Click on the links on the right to read about them.US: HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS
Virtually all students pay tuition fees in the US, with no upper limit on fees and wide variation in costs between institutions and subjects.
 | David Houpt will owe thousands of dollars by the time he finishes his history degree at one of the US's private universities. |
Fees range from just over $4,000 (�2,200) a year for the cheapest courses in state-supported public universities, to more than $30,000 (�16,600) a year in private institutions. Nearly three-quarters of US undergraduates go to public universities, which, including living expenses, currently cost an average of $10,636 (�5,900) a year.
But with some cash-strapped states slashing their support in the past year, fees at public institutions are rising faster than at private ones.
Student financial aid is a complex bureaucratic system of loans, scholarships and grants, available for both private and public institutions. Some are based on merit and achievement, others on parental income.
The country's spending per student is the highest in the OECD, as is the proportion of national income it puts into higher education - but participation is below the OECD's average.DAVID'S STORY
David Houpt, 20, is studying history at George Washington University in Washington DC. It is a private university, and tuition costs him about $37,000 (�20,500) a year - rising to $42,000 (�23,290) once housing, books and other living costs are included.
In comparison, his two brothers are attending state-funded schools in Utah. Their tuition is $3,000 (�1,660) a year.
|  It's ridiculous how expensive it is  |
He won a $15,000 (�8,300) per year scholarship from George Washington University, and would have been unable to go there without it. He was offered student loans at other schools but not scholarships.
His parents help him with tuition. "I got lucky there. They saved knowing what they were getting in to," David said. He pays for his housing, costs which can be substantial in Washington. By the time he finishes his studies, he will be thousands of dollars in debt.
The debts will influence his choice of career - "especially being a history major, that's not a money-bringing-in profession," he added.
He believes that he will have to go to law school, which will add to his debt, but "at least that has some assurance you'll have some money".
He said he likes the "freedom to dabble here and there" at the university, but "it's ridiculous how expensive it is".
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