According to an analysis produced by The Guardian, fifty-three universities have issued over £170,000 fines to a total of 5,122 students for violating Coronavirus safety regulations in the first couple of weeks of the new academic year.

Twenty-eight institutions fined students for breaking the lockdown rules, with the University of Nottingham being the top of the fine list. It occupies one-third of the total amount of fines. According to the university, they issued individual fines of up to £1,500.

As reported by The Independent, the University of East Anglia has fined three students for holding house parties with nearly 100 people. Each of them has been charged £10,000.

Many university students have raised their concerns about not being able to obey the rules. Phoebe, 20, a first-year student from the University of Greenwich, told Voice of London, “I found it difficult ‘not breaking’ the lockdown rules. I’m a first-year student, I want to make friends with people in my flat. I came to this university not knowing anyone, if I don’t make some friends, who am I talking to during these difficult times?”

“A friend of mine was fined £100 last week. I wouldn’t say she shouldn’t be fined, it’s more like the regulations are really hard to comply with. Many of my friends and I have suffered from depression. We need someone to hang out with, not trying to be cool, just trying to stay safe, mentally,” a year-3 student from the University of Westminster stated.

Several other concerns have been raised during the last couple of weeks, with the most concerning being the high number of fines issued to students. Most university students don’t have that much income, paired with the effect of Covid-19, leaves many not able to work. Being fined hundreds of pounds would not be the best scenario for these students, potentially landing them in financial problems.

Here’s a poll asking people if they think fining students is right or wrong:

Universities fined students more than £170,000 for breaching coronavirus safety rules in the first weeks of the new academic year. Do you think it’s right or wrong for universities to fine students? #University #Fines #Students #Coronavirus #SocialDistancing #Politics

— Politics Polls (@PoliticsPollss) November 29, 2020

The government has yet to speak out about these situations however, both the police and universities continue to reinsure that they are just doing their best to keep students safe and healthy.

More to read:

• Graduate Career – graduating into a crisis
• EU students face £800 Brexit charge
• University student made a million during the pandemic

Word by: Ye Qiu｜Subbing: Dina Nazari