Students 'confused about fees'

Diana Warwick, head of Universities UK, says young people do not understand how the new system of fees and grants will work from next year.

The universities are warning the new minister, Bill Rammell, that youngsters might be deterred from applying.

Fees will rise to up to £3,000 per year, but repayments can be deferred.

Universities UK, representing leaders in higher education, is concerned that the multi-layered message on student finance - of higher fees, increased support and deferred repayment - has failed to get across to young people.

Missed messages

"An immediate priority for the minister must be to ensure that potential students and their parents and advisers understand the financial support arrangements that accompany the introduction of deferred fees in 2006," said Baroness Warwick.

"It is clear that there is still confusion about deferred fees, which must not be allowed to confuse or deter potential students.

"We do not believe that young people know how much money is available to support them through university, nor that they won't have to begin to pay until they have graduated and are earning at least £15,000 a year," she said.

While the debate on tuition fees has publicised the sharp increase in tuition fees, the universities say that the more complex package of subsidies and support has not been communicated to students.

This includes means-tested non-repayable grants from the government, up to £2,700 per year, and the launching of means-tested bursaries from universities, ranging from £1,000 to £5,000 per year.

Graduate repayment

The "deferred" fee system, which the universities say is not being understood by young people, is a central element of the reform plans - allowing students to re-pay fees after graduation rather than having to pay up-front for courses.

This will mean that full-time students will no longer have to hand over the money for fees when they are at university - but will have repayments deducted directly each month from their salaries by the Inland Revenue.

Both the Conservative and Liberal Democrats pushed for the scrapping of tuition fees during the general election - and it was considered an important issue in influencing the student vote in university constituencies.

In response to the concerns of the Universities UK that students were confused by the proposed changes, a spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said: "Helping students and parents to understand how this will affect them is a priority.

"We will be looking at how successful we have been at this so far and how we can best continue to do it in the run-up to 2006."

Some universities have given a separate warning about the potential problems facing part-time students, who comprise more than four in every 10 of those in higher education.

They will still have to pay their fees while studying, an issue not addressed by any of the major parties during the election.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Universities UK
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites