Tuition Fees
The increase in the maximum tuition fees rate to £9,000 in 2012/13 only applies if you’re entering university or college for the first time in September 2012 or later. Whilst it is said that not all universities or colleges will charge the maximum amount, the average is around the £8,000 mark with the majority of Universities charging £7,500 - £9,000 per year depending on which course you chose to study Any announcement of fees between £6,000 and £9,000 is subject to an Access Agreement with the Office of Fair Access (OFFA). However, OFFA’s powers to stop universities charging the maximum amount are limited and it has no powers to regulate the market.
If you decide to take a gap year and delay your entry from 2011/12 to 2012/13, you will have to pay the higher fee level. This is also true for those that miss out on a place in 2011/12 and choose to apply again in 2012/13. Considering there has been no increase in student numbers for 2011/12 and the cohort of those applying to university is similar to last year where 200,000 people missed out on a place, applicants that are refused a place this year will have a tough decision to make.
During the original tuition fee debate, the Government announced a £150m National Scholarship Programme to help students from lower income families. This is still to be finalised and is likely to be seen in the HE White Paper. The threshold for those students wishing to apply for a Maintenance Grant (a grant you don’t have to pay back) will be reduced from a household income of £50,020 to £42,600.
More information about what this means for students in Wales and Scotland will be available shortly.
Part-time Students
There are no regulations stating how much universities or colleges can charge in tuition fees for most part-time courses, however, this may change in 2012. Fees may also rise whilst you are studying, so you need to check these points with your university.
However, from September 2012 onwards, if you’re a part-time student who is starting your first degree, you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your tuition costs. The Tuition Fee Loan replaces the Fee Grant and Course Grant.
Eligibility depends on the 'intensity' of your part-time course being at least 25 per cent of a full-time course. For example, if your course takes six years to complete and the full-time equivalent takes three, the intensity will be 50 per cent.
This was one of the concessions that NUS won in December; the Government originally announced that this would be for students studying 33 per-cent of a full-time course. This would have meant that two thirds of part-time students wouldn’t have been eligible to get student loans.
For more information on part-time student fees click here.
EMA
If you currently receive EMA you will continue to do so until the end of the academic year 2010-11. However the scheme closed to new applicants on 1 January 2011.
For more information on EMA click here.