A teenager has travelled to Holland to explore its universities following the Government’s plans to triple UK tuition fees.

Max Gibson, 18, from Streatham, is now considering whether a Dutch education could prove better value for money than a British one.

In his entry for The Streatham’s Guardian’s new competition, ‘Your Voice’, he tells us why even our most prestigious academic institutions could be boycotted by home students.

England v Holland – who’ll win?

Over my half-term holiday, I visited a number of Dutch universities. Living and studying abroad appeals to me and I really liked the Netherlands, but the primary motivation for my visit was down to one factor – fees.

Dutch university fees are a fraction of the amount students my age will be paying next September. I believe that this increase will lead to a ‘brain drain’ in the future, as bright, but financially restricted students begin to shun English institutions. Having visited Dutch universities, I can say that this is even more likely.

I was struck not only by the quality of the universities, but also the enthusiastic welcome I received and the effort that went in to ensuring I gained the best impression – this included personal tours of campuses, meetings with departmental professors and the opportunity to attend seminars. What a contrast with our own universities – at one Open Day I attended there were hardly any staff there. Others have been poorly organised. I was even told by one admissions tutor that there was no difference between his university and others in the Russell Group and that in the end it did not matter where I studied. He really knows how to sell!

As students take on more debt to gain qualifications, their expectations will rise - university staff will need to give ‘value for money’. Students also want to feel valued and motivated. The current attitude of ‘you are lucky to get a chance to study here’ seems to have been compounded by the scramble for places this year, prior to the rise in fees. The apathetic and dismissive approach of some British universities is unacceptable and I believe that if they don’t get their act together soon, they will be in serious trouble.

Think you could do better than Max? Write us 300 words on a topic of your choice, or create a 60 second video. Email your entry to newsdesk@streathamguardian.co.uk or post it on our Facebook page; www.facebook.com/streathamguardian. All entrants should be aged 14 to 18 and either living or studying in Lambeth.