Durham students react to university tuition fee increases

Undergraduate tuition fees in England will increase in line with inflation from next year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced. Maintenance loans will also rise annually with inflation.

The government plans to eventually link tuition fees to university quality. Under-performing universities will not be able to charge maximum fees.

The changes apply only to universities in England, as education policy is devolved to Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Naturally, this means that this change will impact Durham.

Universities have warned of mounting financial pressures after years of frozen fees, with more than four in ten institutions in England believed to be running a deficit.

Sector leaders say income from tuition fees has failed to keep pace with rising costs, while a decline in international student numbers – who typically pay higher fees – has further strained budgets.

If you are a second or first year student, this decision will impact you. While no exact figures have been given next year, the BBC suggests that it could be around £400 more (based on the current rate).

We spoke to Durham students about this breaking news

We spoke to six Durham students about tonight’s news that university tuition fees will rise and here’s what they had to say:

One student told us that this change felt like a “back step” and “a kind of betrayal.”

Another student said: “Uni’s already so expensive, setting this precedent of price-raising worries me…” He then added: “Austerity never ended.”

However, a third student slightly disagreed with the previous two. He said that people have “misconceptions about how bad paying back your student loan can be.”

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He went on to say that “a lot of people are discouraged from going to university because of the high student loan repayments” but argues it’s more “reasonable” if viewed as a “smaller tax.”

However, he argued that it is only “justifiable” if the cost of education is “genuinely rising.” In the instance that it is a way to generate more money for “those higher up”, then he is “extremely opposed.”

One student, already disappointed with their lack of contact hours, said that “it just seems like higher education is getting harder to access every year”. They said they were “disappointed but not surprised.”

Another student expressed concerns that we’re not going to “feel that difference at uni.”

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