University of Plymouth 'doesn't need to charge top fees'
PLYMOUTH University does not need to charge students £9,000 a year to fill a funding gap left by government cuts of more than £4 million, a minister has insisted.
Universities Minister David Willetts stresses institutions should only charge the maximum tuition fees allowed under the government's reforms under 'exceptional' circumstances.
Plymouth has yet to make a decision on future tuition fee levels. But a number of other universities including nearby Exeter have already announced they intend to charge maximum fees of £9,000 a year from 2012.
Plymouth is facing a cut in its government funding of £4.2 million. In the coming year the university will receive a total grant of £85 million – down 4.9 per cent on 2010, excluding money from the University Modernisation Fund, set up by the Government last year. It provided money to institutions to help them prepare for forthcoming spending cuts and has also been removed this year.
University College Plymouth St Mark and St John is seeing its grant cut by 5.8 per cent to £5.1 million.
The Government has warned that, if too many universities charge £9,000, it may have to cut teaching grants further.
But Mr Willetts said: "On our calculations, you do not need fees to go as high as £9,000 to replace the teaching grant as that is reduced."
And he went on to defend the government's reforms, saying: "It's cash for universities. It's students getting a higher quality education rather than losing places and having a mediocre university experience and it's good for the exchequer because the graduate pays."
A spokesman for the University of Plymouth said: "The most important issue for us is to provide a high-quality student experience and opportunities that enable our students to make the most of their skills and interests whilst studying at the University. We are not yet in a position to announce any decision about our tuition fees – what is crucially important for us, however, is that we continue to provide a first-class, first-choice offer for our students, working hard to ensure that they are not deterred from applying to the University."
8 Comments
by Matthew, Plymouth
Tuesday, April 19 2011, 6:01PM
“To clarify a little further, it's only 9% of what you earn over £21,000. At the lower end of the scale, that's about equivalent to an album on iTunes per month. I'd go without a bit of music, or work an extra hour in my job each month in exchange for a degree.
I'm annoyed for students who will pay more than their predecessors - unfortunate victims of the year they were born in - but I know that if I had to make the choice again, even with higher fees, I'd still choose university.”
by Lucy, Plymouth
Sunday, March 27 2011, 5:19PM
“I always love how certain members of the older generations critise students of today for objecting about student fees, especially in light of my aunt's comment; "When I was at university, we got our degrees for free and often we protested if we didn't get enough!" It was another time, but it is an interesting perspective.”
by Tim, Plymouth
Friday, March 25 2011, 9:40AM
“I haven't forgotten those details at all. Once you have graduated and are paying 9% more tax than everyone else your attitude may change. Especially when you want to start a family or purchase a house. Once you add up Income Tax, National Insurance, Pension Contributions and Student Loan deductions you won't find much left.”
by Rick, Viv, Mike and Neil, Student Digs
Friday, March 25 2011, 1:08AM
“Haven't the fees always been £9K? The only thing that is changing is that the student will now pay a greater percentage of this fee rather than tax payer. And what you all forget is these fees aren't repaid until the student has an income over a certain amount and only then has to start paying the fee back at a very low interest rate.
Just to be completely pedantic. It's called "The University of Plymouth" (although it will actually be changing its name to Plymouth University soon... just watch the fallout from that regarding the cost!)”
by Tim, Plymouth
Thursday, March 24 2011, 6:19PM
“You sound very bitter Russel. I managed to go to University, despite being from a poor background. Had no money to my name and received no money from family.
The new system is going to burden students for the rest of their lives. I'm sure this pleases you with your prejudiced view of students.”
by Russell, Plymouth
Thursday, March 24 2011, 4:47PM
“Plymouth will not charge the full £9 k unlike Exeter, Cambridge, Oxford etc (who are traditional redbrick uni's )because they are not in the nations top 10 and will offer less to entice more intelligent students away from these by tempting them will lower fee's, and in reply to Tim who is talking utter nonsense... not all people where lucky enough to go to Uni because of costs(nothing is free including benefits) but we still find time to create careers without the need for "chocolate finger guard " degrees. I have never had any benefit, low interest rates and havent made a killing on the property ladder so dont tar everyone with the same brush.
If more young people got off there backsides and stopped complaining maybe this country wouldnt be in the state it is in.”
by laura, plymouth
Thursday, March 24 2011, 12:48PM
“I can see the issue here, but I think it¿s the government who have screwed up by giving Uni's the choice over what to charge. If I was running a Uni, I wouldn't want to be the one to offer the courses at a lower fee as it may be perceived that the Uni was of a lower calibre than others offering the course at 9k. The kind of people running the Uni believe that Plymouth is just as good as your Cambridge/oxford Uni's, whether it is or not is irrelevant, this is their belief, and so I guarantee Plymouth will announce it will charge the maximum 9k, along with nearly every other Uni in the country.”
by Tim, Plymouth
Thursday, March 24 2011, 11:41AM
“University education should be free to all who are bright enough and work hard. I find it quite disgusting how the younger generation are constantly being burdened with more expenses to the benefit of those who have already received all their free benefits and don't want to pay for those who follow.
Unaffordable houses, huge student loans, poor pensions, raising rents and a trillion pound government debt. Yet they are expected to pay out for free care and ever rising pensions to those who have made a killing on the property ladder whilst paying minimal tax rates.”