English universities opt for maximum fees
The vast majority of English universities have opted to charge students the maximum £3,000 tuition fees when they are permitted to raise prices next year.
Only eight higher education institutions have opted for lower fees.
The lowest bill is £2,000 a year at Leeds Metropolitan University.
Greenwich will charge £2,500 and Thames Valley £2,700. The other five colleges specialise in teacher training courses.
One in three universities – including most elite institutions – will bid to attract the brightest students by offering scholarships of up to £5,000.
Sir Martin Harris, director of the office for fair access to higher education (Offa), the Government’s higher education access watchdog, said about 400,000 students from poorer backgrounds may receive £300 million worth of bursaries to help fund their studies.
In a quid pro quo with the Government, universities wishing to charge higher fees must set an “access agreement” to help poorer students looking to apply.
Sir Martin said he did not want to see any candidate from a low-income group deterred from taking a degree course on financial grounds.
Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis said that the news made depressing reading.
Mr Willis said: “These figures make gloomy reading for young people considering university. The Government’s creation of a fees-driven market has not lead to choice or increased opportunity. Nine out of ten institutions will be charging the full amount of £3,000 a year in top-up fees.
“The imposition of these enormous fees has forced universities to divert millions of pounds from teaching and research into bursaries in order to soften the financial blow for prospective students. In a world without top-up fees this money could go into improving facilities and sustaining academic diversity.”
