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UK medical schools see a surge in prostitution among students
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Expensive tuition fees at British medical schools have led to a surge in prostitution among students, according to Jodi Dixon, a medical student at the University of Birmingham, who wrote in an article published in the journal Student BMJ.
Dixon examined data from surveys of medical students asking whether they knew of any classmates who prostituted themselves to pay for their education.
In 2010, almost ten percent of respondents answered this question positively. In 2003, the share of such students was less than 4%. According to 2006 data, about six percent of students at British medical schools knew students who earned money through prostitution to pay for their studies.
The author of the article believes that the identified trend is related to the growth of tuition fees. In particular, from 2003 to 2010, the average cost of studying at the Faculty of Medicine increased from 1.3 to 3 thousand pounds sterling per year.
Dixon also noted that most students do not have the opportunity to get a well-paid job during their studies. The traditional work for students at British universities in a shop or a bar does not cover the high cost of studying for a doctor.
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