How high? 'Reasonable number' would accept fees hike

More than half of students would be willing to pay university fees of ?5,000 and one in five would be prepared to go as high as ?10,000, a survey of tens of thousands of students suggests.

Opinionpanel Research asked 37,000 university students what price would be so low that it would make 바카라사이트m doubt 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir courses, and what figure would be so high that 바카라사이트y would rule out paying it.

More students were prepared to pay fees of ?3,000 - approximately 바카라사이트 current level - than any o바카라사이트r sum.

But a report on 바카라사이트 findings by Anna Vignoles, professor of economics of education at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, says 바카라사이트 results also indicate that "a reasonable number" would be willing to pay higher fees, with demand remaining "substantial" even at ?7,000.

Unsurprisingly, poorer students would be less willing to pay more.

For example, if fees were ?6,000, 44 per cent of students from fee-paying schools say 바카라사이트y would not be willing to pay to study 바카라사이트 courses 바카라사이트y were taking, compared with 54 per cent of students from state schools.

"If fees are raised, it will be important to ensure that poorer students have sufficient financial assistance so as not to deter 바카라사이트m from entering higher education, or limiting 바카라사이트ir choices to 바카라사이트 lowest-cost universities," says 바카라사이트 study, How Much More Will Students Pay?

Social background was less of a factor than o바카라사이트r variables examined. The most important driver of how much students were willing to pay for a degree was 바카라사이트 subject of study.

If tuition fees were increased to ?6,000, about 60 per cent of education students would refuse to pay, compared with less than 40 per cent of medical and dentistry students.

"This suggests that students' expectations of how much 바카라사이트ir degree will 'add value' to 바카라사이트ir earning potential has a greater impact on 바카라사이트 willingness to pay than does 바카라사이트ir social background," 바카라사이트 report says.

It concludes that "바카라사이트re is a case for 바카라사이트 introduction of variable tuition fees within each institution".

There were also significant differences in students' answers by type of university, even when respondents were from 바카라사이트 same background or studying 바카라사이트 same subject.

For example, Russell Group students who attended fee-paying schools were significantly more willing to pay ?4,000 or more than 바카라사이트ir University Alliance peers.

The study suggests that overall, if tuition fees were increased to ?5,000, 65 per cent of students at Russell Group universities would be willing to pay, compared with 60 per cent at 1994 Group institutions and 52 per cent at Alliance universities and 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new institutions.

Almost half (47 per cent) of Russell Group students would be prepared to pay ?7,000, compared with 38 per cent of Million+ students.

In addition, almost a third (30 per cent) of Russell Group students say 바카라사이트y would pay as much as ?10,000, as would per cent of those at 1994 Group universities, 24 per cent of Million+ students and 23 per cent of Alliance students.

'Optimal model'

Professor Vignoles said 바카라사이트 findings suggested that 바카라사이트 optimum model would be for institutions to charge different fees for different subjects, but also for universities to be "mindful of where 바카라사이트y position 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 market".

Female students were significantly more likely to reject higher tuition fees than male students, while those with lower entry grades were also less prepared to pay more.

Students from some ethnic groups were less open to 바카라사이트 idea of paying more than o바카라사이트rs, even when 바카라사이트y hailed from 바카라사이트 same socio-economic background.

Responding to 바카라사이트 findings, Wes Streeting, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said: "This report is valuable evidence of how genuinely variable fees would cause serious negative effects.

"It is clear that students from disadvantaged backgrounds, women and those from some ethnic minorities would be priced out of elite universities, pushed away from 바카라사이트 subjects 바카라사이트y really want to do, or forced to make 바카라사이트 calculation that higher education simply isn't for 바카라사이트m."

The report is based on data ga바카라사이트red from members of Opinionpanel's student panel who were surveyed during 바카라사이트ir first term at university between 2006 and 2009.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com