A high proportion of independent schools are urging their sixth formers to consider studying abroad as university tuition fees of up to £9,000 loom in England and Wales, new survey findings suggest.

A survey of Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) heads said they expected that rising tuition fees at UK universities will make studying abroad more attractive to school leavers. Nearly 80% said their school would be actively encouraging sixth formers to consider applying for a place at universities overseas as well as in the UK.

A further BBC survey of half of English universities found that far more university students than originally expected could be paying the maximum tuition fee of £9,000 a year. 35 out of 54 universities intended to levy £9,000-a-year fees for some or all courses. Of those, 27 intended to charge £9,000 for every degree subject. The average fee was £8,536.

Jeanine Gregersen, of Maastricht University said, “It is clear that the prospect of paying significantly higher tuition fees coupled with increasing difficulties in finding a place at a UK university are making study abroad a more attractive option for prospective students in Britain.  School heads, teachers and careers advisors also recognise that studying at a top quality university in another country can broaden students’ horizons and improve their career prospects by exposing them to an international environment and the kind of character-building experience valued by employers.”

Tim Hands, Co-Chair of HMC’s and Girls’ Schools Association Universities Sub-Committee and Headmaster of Magdalen College School, Oxford, said, “UK universities are nervous about costs and also about possible government interference in admissions. There is a lot of uncertainty around.  The globe is getting smaller and young people's knowledge of it greater. All of these things make it inevitable that there will be more interest in studying abroad.”

However, in response to the BBC survey, Universities Minister David Willetts said it was "important to look beyond the £9,000 headline. Once bursaries for poorer students and lower fees likely to be charged by private providers were taken into account, he said, the average was likely to be "significantly below" £9,000.”

The fees should all be made public by late June or mid-July 2011.