Tester78,
Of the test pilots at Airbus that are from a pure civilian background how many are UK nationals?
Also remember anyone intending on undertaking an Aeronautical Engineering degree needs to be aware what they are most likely going to end up doing, not what they may end of doing if the cards stack heavily in their favour. So on that note failing to make it initially into a flight test position may mean having to undertake a less interesting project integration position or pure office based analysis role.
I was able to fund training for a frozen ATPL because I didn't have to pay tuition fees at university so graduated near enough debt free; at 9k a year in the UK for a four year MEng plus living expenses the debt an engineering graduate now acquires will hinder the acquisition of a frozen ATPL post graduation.
Secondly acquiring relevant flight experience as a self funded pilot can also be very difficult task in itself let alone looking to progress to flight test.
While many on here have a lot of experience in flight testing, I am not sure they really appreciate the obstacles a UK based civilian Aerospace graduate in 2015 will face.