Since 2017, university tuition fees have been capped at £9,250 per year for English students in UK universities, but the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has recently announced that this is set to change.
For many secondary school students – especially those taking GCSEs and A-Levels at the moment – this is worrying, as student debts and financing are already a concern when looking at going to university, especially for first-generation students.
It was announced on the 4th of November 2024 that the yearly fees would rise from £9,250 to £9,535 for the 2025/26 academic year. This is a huge contrast to the previous call from universities to increase the fee to £12,500 per year in order to meet teaching and maintenance-of-service costs.
Therefore, this will not only increase the available Tuition Fee Loan per student, but also the Maintenance Loan available. This means that once a student has finished university and has secured a stable job, there will be a higher sum to pay back in student debt.
The big question is: will this put prospective students off of going to university?
On the whole, prospective students determined to go to university have said they won’t be deterred, but with the caveat that the rising cost of living, along with these new restrictions, will make it a lot harder for them to live comfortably whilst studying.
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