This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yw97y9xnwo
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Welsh tuition fees to rise by nearly £300 a year | Welsh tuition fees to rise by nearly £300 a year |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The rise is in line with an increase in England but it is the second time fees have gone up in a year | The rise is in line with an increase in England but it is the second time fees have gone up in a year |
| University fees in Wales are set to rise to £9,535 a year - nearly a £300 increase - from September 2025. | University fees in Wales are set to rise to £9,535 a year - nearly a £300 increase - from September 2025. |
| The Welsh government announcement brings tuition costs in Wales in line with a hike in fees already announced by the UK government for universities in England. | The Welsh government announcement brings tuition costs in Wales in line with a hike in fees already announced by the UK government for universities in England. |
| It is the second increase in charges for Welsh courses within a year, after the maximum charge went up from £9000 to £9250 from September 2024. | It is the second increase in charges for Welsh courses within a year, after the maximum charge went up from £9000 to £9250 from September 2024. |
| Vikki Howells, minister for further and higher education, said it was a "difficult but necessary decision". | Vikki Howells, minister for further and higher education, said it was a "difficult but necessary decision". |
| Ms Howells said the decision would not increase the up front costs of university for students and would not increase their monthly repayments as graduates. | Ms Howells said the decision would not increase the up front costs of university for students and would not increase their monthly repayments as graduates. |
| A 1.6% increase to maintenance support for undergraduates was also announced. | A 1.6% increase to maintenance support for undergraduates was also announced. |
| The maximum amount of support for postgraduate study will also increase by 1.6%, with the same level of increase in grants for students with dependants and those with a disability. | The maximum amount of support for postgraduate study will also increase by 1.6%, with the same level of increase in grants for students with dependants and those with a disability. |
| Ms Howells said raising fees was necessary "to ensure Welsh higher education institutions remain competitive with those in other parts of the UK". | Ms Howells said raising fees was necessary "to ensure Welsh higher education institutions remain competitive with those in other parts of the UK". |
| "I want to be clear that this small increase in fees should not dissuade anyone from Wales considering applying for university next year," she said. | "I want to be clear that this small increase in fees should not dissuade anyone from Wales considering applying for university next year," she said. |
| She added there would be an extra £20m in funding for Medr, external, which funds post-16 education, to support further and higher education. | She added there would be an extra £20m in funding for Medr, external, which funds post-16 education, to support further and higher education. |
| A spokesperson for Universities Wales said it welcomed the announcement "of additional support, which comes at a critical time for Welsh universities". | A spokesperson for Universities Wales said it welcomed the announcement "of additional support, which comes at a critical time for Welsh universities". |
| "Our universities play a fundamental role in communities across Wales: generating jobs, transforming lives, supporting public services, and delivering world-leading research and innovation," they said. | "Our universities play a fundamental role in communities across Wales: generating jobs, transforming lives, supporting public services, and delivering world-leading research and innovation," they said. |
| Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru's education spokesperson, said the increase would "burden students with even greater debt". | |
| Tom Giffard, the Welsh Conservative's education spokesperson said the hike "does little to encourage students to pursue higher education" amid a drop in enrolments. | |
| "If Wales cannot provide comparable opportunities to those across the border in England, we risk a substantial brain drain," he said. |