UK government to introduce university tuition fees

By Clare Hughes London

Students entering English universities in 2006 will have to pay up to £3000 ($5500; €4500) a year in tuition fees if a bill presented in the House of Commons in January is approved. The Higher Education Bill outlines the government's plans to introduce top-up fees, which would allow different universities to charge different tuition fees.

Students currently pay a fixed fee of £1125 each year while they are at university. The government's proposal would enable universities to have greater freedom to decide their own fees, which would vary between courses at each institution. The government said, "It is wrong to assume that every student wants the same thing from higher education or that every university should be the same... a one size fits all model is unfair to students and is too rigid for universities." Charles Clarke, secretary of state for education and skills, said, "Variability remains the key. We do not agree that a substantially higher fixed fee would be the way to raise additional resources. It would be deeply damaging."

Students will not have to pay their fees while at university, as with the current system. Instead, they will start repayments once they are earning £15 000 as graduates.

Mandy Telford, president of the National Union of Students, said, "This bill is a disaster for the future of higher education. The new plans for variable top-up fees will create a market in higher education. Students from poorer backgrounds will be put off going to more expensive courses."

There are also fears that poorer students will be deterred from applying for expensive courses, such as medicine: "Given that medical schools are likely to charge the full top-up fee, we remain concerned that recruitment to the NHS will suffer. Fear of debt will still mean many students, particularly those from working class backgrounds, will decide against studying medicine," said Daniel Gibbons of the BMA's Medical Students Committee.

The government has promised that the poorest full time students will receive financial help--30% will be guaranteed at least £3000 in financial support a year. This will comprise a £1200 grant for fees, a £1500 higher education grant, and a bursary from the university.

Universities UK, the vice-chancellors' organisation, strongly endorsed the bill, calling it "a major milestone in ensuring a positive, well funded future for higher education in this country." Ivor Crewe, president of Universities UK, said, "[This bill] makes an important and welcome contribution to addressing the financial problems of all universities. It strikes a fair balance between the needs of institutions and students to the benefit of society, the economy and the country."

The government has proposed that the student loanwill be increased and that outstanding loan and fee debts will be written off after 25 years.