University in debate on plan for £9,000 fees

Leeds University’s council met last night to discuss how much it will increase its fees to next year when the higher education sector is hit by massive cuts to teaching budgets.

MPs have raised the cap on fees from 2012 to between £6,000 and £9,000 a year as part of a radical overhaul of the way universities are financed. A £2.9bn cut to university teaching budgets means the majority of the cost will now being met by the student after they graduate.

Most universities which have announced their plans have set their fees at £9,000 a year.

Leeds University’s Pricing and Bursary Review group has recommended charging the full £9,000. A university spokesman said last night: “Council is due to debate this and other issues and it would be wrong to pre-empt any decision. But faced with 80 per cent cuts in Government funding, we are like all universities considering what an appropriate graduate contribution should be in order for us to continue to deliver an inspirational student experience while widening access for disadvantaged students.”

A spokesman for Hull University said no decision had been made on its fee level after one of the city’s MPs claimed in Parliament yesterday that it was also planning to charge around £9,000-a-year. Speaking in questions to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Labour’s Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: “Hull University is reported to be planning to treble tuition fees towards the £9,000 limit.” A decision will be announced later this month.