Most degrees will cost students £9,000 says union

THE MAJORITY of university degrees will cost students £9,000, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS) has claimed.

Aaron Porter said as many as seven out of 10 universities could charge the maximum level allowed as many believe it will be a sign of "quality".

MPs approved controversial plans almost to triple the cap on tuition fees from 2012 at the end of last year, amid violent protests.

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From next year, universities in England will charge between 6,000 and 9,000 a year for degree courses. Ministers said that the maximum charge would only be levied in "exceptional circumstances."

Mr Porter said, however, he feared 9,000 a year charges will be commonplace.

"The Government made promises to get the tuition fees through the vote - but I don't believe they can deliver.

"They said that 9,000 would only be charged in exceptional circumstances, but I suspect that 50 per cent, 60 per cent, 70 per cent are going to charge 9,000.

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"From the conversations I've had behind the scenes, universities believe the price they set will be a sign of quality – and they will charge whatever they can get away with."

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of vice-chancellors' group Universities UK, said institutions were currently considering how much to charge.

Universities need to raise fees in order to recover income lost in 2.9bn Government cuts to their teaching budgets.