Universities 'impose illegal contracts on students'

University students can have their fees increased or their degree course altered on a whim as a result of unfair contract terms imposed by British universities, according to a recent investigation, writes Kate Palmer for The Telegraph.

Consumer lobby group ‘Which?’ said one in five universities were using unlawful contract terms to give them unlimited power to change courses once students have enrolled. After examining contracts between students and universities at 131 British institutions, ‘Which?’ found that 20% used terms that contravened Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations.

By law, a contract term is "unfair" if it creates a significant imbalance between the student and the provider. The investigation found that some universities retained total power to vary courses as they saw fit, even after students had enrolled.
Full report on The Telegraph site