I was lucky in being part of practically the last generation that got it all free over here. I enjoyed 1 year at art college, then some years later 2 years at college to do a Higher National Diploma in Computer Studies, then a year later, 2 years to achieve my BSc. In all 5 years of tuition paid for by the authorities. PLUS a student maintenance grant for these years. Then we could claim excess travel expenses, above what had been allocated in the grant, claim unemployment benefit during the vacations and housing benefit so we could keep on our accommodation.

Grants were means tested on the parents but for my HND and degree I had worked for a few years and, as such, was considered independant (you had to have so many months of work and tax accreditation) and received the full amount

We'd never had it so good!

>The deal my dad and I had was we would split college costs 50-50. (The only financial aid I had was one merit-based scholarship; we were not eligible for need-based aid). I worked from the age of 16 and contributed my half, some of it student loans it took me a few years to pay off. He could have picked up the whole tab but I think it was the best thing that could have happened to me. It was an early lesson that you shouldn't expect everything to just be given to you.
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