Are tuition fees set to rise?

University fees in England could reach as high as £10,500 a year as the government considers plans to raise them by 13.5%, in line with inflation

This comes as a group of 141 UK universities say higher tuition fees and government funding are both needed to prevent the sector from sliding into decline. The Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, has claimed that the current value of fees has been “eroded” after being frozen at £9,250 since 2017.

Sir Keir Starmer had previously pledged to scrap university fees, but announced in his May plans earlier this year that he would have to abandon this pledge, in favour of tackling issues within the NHS.

Calls for changes to the higher education system comes as a record number of home students started university last month. Yet the number of international students, from which universities receive a large part of their income, is down. 

Newcastle University vice chancellor Professor Christopher Day, who also chairs the Russell Group, has stated that \”the harsh reality is that unless the student and/or the taxpayer pay some more, the sector will shrink, or the quality will go down.”

There is of course, a worry about the effect that this rise will have on students in England, who, in the wake of Covid-19 and significant strike action, are becoming more disillusioned with the prospect of higher education. Teaching being moved online or cancelled in recent years has pushed students at University College London, who feel they have not received the education they paid for, to bring claims against the school, and students from other universities may soon also seek compensation.

In a report by the BBC, Manchester University student Libby Callaghan said a rise in tuition fees “would definitely put [her] off”, mentioning how living costs such as commuting, and accommodation is already a struggle for most students.

Labour ministers will, however, reportedly introduce maintenance grants of £3,500, which were previously abolished under the conservative government, to help those who can least afford it.

Former First Secretary of State, Peter Mandelson, has said that a rise to only £9,480 a year would provide financial stability before the government embarks on reforms to the higher education system. He claims, however, that universities will need to make tough choices, pointing out that Italian state universities have one teaching staff for every 21 students, whilst UK universities have one for every 13.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education has said “We believe that every young person, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to attend university… The government is committed to reviewing the higher education funding system to deliver for our economy, for universities, and for students and we will be announcing further details in due course.”

Words by Anna Whyte