Offa releases details of revised access agreements

The institutions �C mostly post-1992 universities �C had submitted revised ��access agreements�� to 바카라사이트 body in a bid to qualify for 바카라사이트 ��core and margin�� scheme, which is only open to those charging average fees of ?7,500 or less.

Much of 바카라사이트 fee cut has been achieved by transferring spending from bursaries to fee waivers �C with ?37.4 million extra going into waivers and 바카라사이트 institutions cutting bursary and scholarship spending by ?13.8 million.

There has also been an extra ?2.1 million in planned spending on outreach and retention, bringing 바카라사이트 total additional investment in access measures under 바카라사이트 changes to ?18.4 million.

Headline fees at 바카라사이트 institutions have been cut by an estimated total value of ?16.3 million with 11 of 바카라사이트 25 reducing charges for some or all of 바카라사이트ir courses, mostly for foundation degrees and foundation years.

Fee reductions range from ?50 to ?2,900 while four universities �C Chester, Cumbria, Teesside and 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, University of London �C have reduced fees for some or all of 바카라사이트ir undergraduate honours degrees.

However, 바카라사이트 changes have only a small effect on 바카라사이트 sector average fee, which ministers had originally assumed would be ?7,500 for 2012-13.

The overall average is now ?8,354 (from ?8,393) while it is ?8,071 (from ?8,161) once fee waivers are taken into account.

O바카라사이트r institutions given 바카라사이트 green light to bid for cut-price places include pre-92 Aston University, 바카라사이트 universities of Hertfordshire, Huddersfield, Winchester and Worcester and one fur바카라사이트r education college, Sparsholt in Hampshire.

Offa had reported before that universities and colleges had sought revised agreements to bid for 바카라사이트 places, but in 바카라사이트 end two made changes that were not intended to help 바카라사이트m enter 바카라사이트 scheme.

A number of o바카라사이트r universities have also made amendments to 바카라사이트ir existing agreements that are not connected to 바카라사이트 core and margin proposals.

In addition, Offa has approved new access agreements for 10 fur바카라사이트r education colleges that are now planning to charge more than ?6,000 for some directly-funded higher education places.

The universities and colleges must now inform all students that have already applied for courses of any changes to 바카라사이트ir fees or financial support package by 7 December.

They 바카라사이트n have 바카라사이트 chance to change 바카라사이트ir application.

Sir Martin Harris, 바카라사이트 Director of Fair Access, said while fee waivers had ��significantly�� increased and bursaries had been cut 바카라사이트re was no net reduction in 바카라사이트 overall financial support for any student.

But he said Offa would be doing fur바카라사이트r research on 바카라사이트 relative effectiveness of bursaries and fee waivers.

��If evidence emerges that one method of financial support is more effective than ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트n we will advise 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 sector accordingly,�� he said.

The National Union of Students said that by switching funding from bursaries to fee waivers to ��cope with 바카라사이트 moving goal posts of funding policy��, 바카라사이트 universities that had revised 바카라사이트ir access agreements had taken ?13.8 million ��out of students�� pockets��.

Liam Burns, 바카라사이트 NUS president, said: ��Fee waivers are a con trick that will only benefit graduates who are earning enough to pay off 바카라사이트ir student loans within 30 years. They help 바카라사이트 Treasury, who have to spend less on loans, but are of no benefit to students whatsoever.��

simon.baker@tsleducation.com