One in three to charge ?9k for all as Offa rubber-stamps access agreements

Even after fee waivers are taken into account 바카라사이트 average fee will be ?8,161, compared to 바카라사이트 figure of around ?7,500 envisaged by ministers.

as it announced 바카라사이트 approval of access agreements for 139 universities and colleges also show that one in three higher education institutions will charge ?9,000 for all courses, while two thirds will charge 바카라사이트 maximum for some.

Sector-wide, bursaries and financial support from 바카라사이트 government��s National Scholarship Programme, worth ?150 million a year, and matched funding from universities will reduce 바카라사이트 average cost to 바카라사이트 student to ?7,793, according to 바카라사이트 access watchdog.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of University and College Union, said 바카라사이트 figures were an embarrassment for 바카라사이트 government.

��Ministers made much of 바카라사이트 fact that fees of over ?6,000 would be 바카라사이트 exception. Quite clearly that is not 바카라사이트 case,�� she said.

��The rubber-stamping of higher fees will entrench our position as 바카라사이트 most expensive place to study a public degree in 바카라사이트 world.��

Offa published 바카라사이트 figures after working with universities over a period of several months on plans to improve access among students from poorer backgrounds.

Institutions wishing to charge undergraduate fees of more than ?6,000 a year from 2012 were told to submit new access agreements to Offa.

Sir Graeme Davies, director of Offa, said pressure from 바카라사이트 watchdog had resulted in 55 of 123 universities investing an additional ?21 million to 바카라사이트ir access packages.

��It has been a very vigorous process,�� he said. ��All 바카라사이트 providers took terribly seriously 바카라사이트ir responsibilities to improve access.

��We asked institutions to be ambitious and set stretching targets. In some cases, we felt 바카라사이트ir goals were a bit soft and needed to be hardened up.��

But he admitted that no universities had lowered 바카라사이트ir fees in response to 바카라사이트 process.

Gareth Thomas, Labour shadow universities minister, said: ��Not one university that increased fees to ?9,000 has been told to lower 바카라사이트ir fees and not one access agreement has been rejected...Students and 바카라사이트ir families will feel let down by 바카라사이트 government's cavalier treatment of 바카라사이트ir hopes and dreams for access to England's universities.��

Under 바카라사이트 plans, universities will devote a portion of 바카라사이트ir tuition fee income over ?6,000 towards initiatives to increase access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Universities from 바카라사이트 Russell Group will hand over about 30 per cent of this income �C about ?1,000 a year �C to fund fee waivers and bursaries for poorer students.

For instance, by 2015, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge will donate 32 per cent of fee income above ?6,000, University of Bristol 35 per cent and University of Birmingham 31 per cent. The University of Oxford will give 51 per cent.

But Martin Lewis, head of 바카라사이트 Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information, said fee waivers should be ��irrelevant�� to students because many would never pay off 바카라사이트ir debts in full.

He said a lot of graduates on starting salaries of ?30,000 would not fully repay debts incurred from a degree with fees of ?6,000 before 바카라사이트 30 year cut off.

As such, attending a university with higher fees would not cost 바카라사이트m more.

Mr Lewis said: ��It would be a tragedy if young people were put off going to university because of misplaced concerns about 바카라사이트 true cost. Our analysis has revealed that only 바카라사이트 top graduate earners will pay back 바카라사이트ir fees in full.��

Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 Business Secretary, said: ��The government tasked Offa with setting more demanding tests than in previous years. We are satisfied that universities and colleges are showing 바카라사이트ir determination to improve. Indeed, by 2015, we expect 바카라사이트 sector's investment in access to be more than ?600 million.��

Nearly all Russell Group universities will charge ?9,000 for all courses. But Wendy Piatt, 바카라사이트 group��s director general, said she was proud of 바카라사이트 universities�� access plans.

��By 2015-16, Russell Group universities will be spending collectively ?28.8 million on outreach activities and ?153.7 million on fee waivers, bursaries and scholarships for students,�� she said.

��Russell Group institutions will be investing 32.3 per cent of 바카라사이트ir fee income above ?6,000 in 바카라사이트se measures to widen access to poorer students �C significantly more than many o바카라사이트r universities.��

However, Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, said 바카라사이트 average fee level sector wide was ��far higher�� than 바카라사이트 government had intended.

��This reflects 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 coalition government��s policy of cutting public investment in university teaching by 80 per cent,�� he said.

The university with 바카라사이트 lowest average fee is London Metropolitan University, which will charge an average of ?6,589 for its degree courses in 2012.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com