UK universities offer students degree discounts, football tickets and iPads amid Brexit concerns

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Universities across the UK are offering buy-one-get-one-free degrees and other highly sought-after perks in an attempt to fill as many course spots as possible amid post-Brexit uncertainty. Mary Curnock Cook, head of university admissions service Ucas, told the site the fact that the number of UK 18-year- olds is smaller this year “means ­talented students are in demand.” The University of Sheffield is one of several institutions to offer top A-level students a free master’s course worth up to £10,000 if they enrol as an undergraduate first, while York University is offering discounted postgraduate courses. Aberystwyth University in Wales has already reportedly confirmed that around 100 EU students have cancelled their places over concerns of the impact of Brexit, while a survey from student recruitment consultancy, Hobsons, found a third of international students said they were not likely to come to the UK anymore. Jeremy Cooper, managing director of Hobsons, said universities in the UK are facing “a period of uncertainty” post-Brexit, adding: “However, international students still represent a significant strategic opportunity for UK universities.” To help tackle any uncertainty, university leaders from across Europe have come together in a “turbulent time” to stress the importance of continued higher education collaboration following the Brexit result and, in a joint statement, highlighted the importance of international cooperation and exchange, insisting universities are strongest when they tackle issues collaboratively.