Highest ever fees ahead for best degrees

SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT LEADING universities are planning to charge students record-breaking tuition fees of £9,250 next year,

can disclose. From 2017, universities providing the highest quality teaching are expected to be given new powers to increase the maximum fees that they are likely to raise fees in 2017, while two others have said they are waiting for the final policy before deciding.

The plans emerged as A-level students await their results on Thursday. The likely rise in fees next year could see more seek places through “clearing” rather than re-applying for what will be more expensive courses in 2017.

Some universities could increase fees for students who have already started their degrees, before the law changes, depending on the terms of their individual course contracts.

A survey of Russell Group universities’ plans, outlined on their websites, found that Bristol, Durham, Exeter and Nottingham intended to charge undergraduates £9,250 a year for courses starting in September 2017.

This represents a 2.8 per cent increase. Fees would rise again by inflation in subsequent years.

King’s College London, the London School of Economics, Liverpool and Newcastle also suggested fees could rise in future, while Southampton and Warwick said they would set fees for 2017 once Parliament had agreed the new law.