Some people think that the government should provide free education at every level. However, some say that individuals should pay for their university education.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Some people think that the government should provide free education at every level. However, some say that individuals should pay for their university education.

Government provided free education at every level versus individuals paying for university - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 9 · 379 words.

Some people argue that governments should fund all levels of education for free, while others believe that university students should bear the costs themselves. This essay will discuss both perspectives before concluding that a balanced, subsidised model is the most practical approach.

On the one hand, free education at every stage promotes social equality and economic growth. When tuition is removed, financial background no longer determines access to knowledge. Talented individuals from low-income families can pursue careers in medicine, engineering, or research, which directly benefits society. For instance, countries like Finland and Sweden offer tuition-free universities and consistently rank among the most innovative nations. Moreover, an educated population tends to be more productive, pay higher taxes in the long run, and rely less on welfare. Thus, from a macroeconomic standpoint, state-funded education can be seen as a long-term investment rather than an expense.

On the other hand, requiring students to pay for their own university education encourages personal responsibility and market efficiency. Those who finance their studies tend to choose majors with clearer career prospects and perform better academically. In the United States, for example, students often work part-time or take loans, which makes them more competitive and career-oriented after graduation. Additionally, making higher education universally free places a heavy burden on taxpayers, many of whom do not directly benefit from university degrees. It also risks devaluing tertiary qualifications, as more graduates enter the job market with similar credentials, leading to degree inflation.

In my opinion, while primary and secondary education should remain fully state-funded as a basic right, university education does not need to be entirely free. Instead, governments should offer heavily subsidised tuition with income-contingent repayment schemes. This approach ensures that no capable student is excluded due to cost, while still maintaining a sense of financial accountability. For example, Australia’s HECS system allows students to defer payments until they earn above a certain threshold, which strikes a reasonable balance between accessibility and fiscal sustainability.

In conclusion, although free education at all levels has clear social benefits, full state funding for universities is neither economically wise nor fair to all taxpayers. A hybrid model, where the state covers part of the cost and students contribute later based on their income, appears to be the most sensible way forward.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptional essay that meets all the criteria for a Band 9.0. It provides a sophisticated, well-balanced argument supported by specific global examples and uses high-level academic English naturally and accurately.

Task Response - 9

- Fully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear, nuanced opinion. - Ideas are fully extended and supported with relevant examples like Finland’s education system and Australia’s HECS. - The position is consistent and well-developed throughout the entire response.

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- Paragraphing is managed expertly with clear central themes in each section. - Cohesive devices (e.g., 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', 'Thus') are used naturally and facilitate a smooth logical flow. - Information is sequenced logically, leading from general principles to specific international examples.

Lexical Resource - 9

- Uses a sophisticated range of vocabulary including 'macroeconomic standpoint', 'degree inflation', and 'income-contingent repayment'. - Collocations are natural and precise, showing high-level control of lexical features. - Rare minor errors are non-existent, demonstrating native-like fluency.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- Demonstrates a wide range of structures with full flexibility and precision. - The essay is entirely free of grammatical and punctuation errors. - Uses complex structures (e.g., 'while still maintaining a sense of financial accountability') effortlessly.

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