I was mostly answering the first half of your comment, about the poor subsidising the middle class. The UK system is fine, I think subsidies are better, as poo

I was mostly answering the first half of your comment, about the poor subsidising the middle class. The UK system is fine, I think subsidies are better, as poor people might feel discouraged to take on more debt, and student debt isn't really desirable for anyone. I don't think people should be in debt by default, neither do I think they should be uneducated by default. That said in Sweden we actually have a combined system of subsidies and special student loans that very much resemble the UK system you describe.