University tuition fees in England are to go up next autumn for the first time in eight years, the government will announce this afternoon.
If linked to inflation, it could take fees up to a record £9,500 in October 2025, providing some respite for universities who have been struggling with a deepening financial crisis.
Domestic undergraduate tuition fees in England have been capped at £9,250 since 2017 but have been eroded in value by high inflation, forcing universities to rely on uncapped tuition fees from international students to balance their books.
While any increase would be welcomed by vice-chancellors, it is likely to be deeply unpopular with current and future students, who were once told by the Labour party that tuition fees would be scrapped.
More details soon ….