University of Liverpool is planning on raising tuition fees

UoL has announced that it is thinking about raising fees to £9,250 per year in 2017 alongside a move declared by other Russell Group universities.

10 universities in the group have announced indications to up the fees with places like Bristol and Durham formally declaring the rise on their websites. A Telegraph survey revealed that almost half of the Russell Group of leading research universities are expecting to put up the charges beyond the current limit of £9,000 a year.

It is expected that from 2017, unis which provide the highest teaching standards will be given new powers to increase the maximum fees they can charge by inflation.

Liverpool University joined King’s College London, the London School of Economics and Newcastle University in indicating that their fees could rise with inflation in future.

There is also a worry that some universities could increase fees for students who have already started their courses before the law changes.

MPs are still yet to vote on the matter but it is expected to pass through parliament.

Worth over £9,000 a year?

The rise in tuition fee has been suggested due to worries over teaching standards and because the Russell Group has some of the best teaching in the country, it is expected that they will be allowed to increase the fees.

Eela Muhaimin, a third year Law student, thinks that the rise is unjustifiable: “This makes me genuinely so angry, I can’t believe they’re even thinking of raising it!”

Masters student, Eleanor Hancock feels a rise will further discourage young people from poorer backgrounds from going to university: “Raising the fees again is absolutely despicable and as a beacon of education, the university should be utterly ashamed. Not only will this continue to push students from low income backgrounds further from higher education, it will also continue to harness the elitist culture in top universities.”

A University of Liverpool spokesperson, however, contradicted the results of the survey, saying: “The University is considering the matter of whether it will be increasing fees in 2017 and is yet to make a final decision.”

New Guild President Sean Turner said: “Last year our Guild Summit agreed that we should support campaigning against cuts and for free education. Earlier this year the Summit agreed that the Guild ought to seek transparency from the University around fee changes and this is something that we, the new Officer team, are keen to push on with.

“We are also working with the NUS, with this becoming a nationally prevalent issue. Following our Summit meetings, a motion was submitted to the NUS Conference, which resolved to ensure students have a say when Universities make these decisions. The fight goes on…”