Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration in the UK plans to increase university tuition fees starting September 2025, as reported by The Telegraph. This will mark the first rise in eight years.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is expected to announce the increase, linking tuition fees to the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate. This adjustment will impact current A-level students applying to universities. Since 2017, tuition fees have been capped at £9,250. Depending on the month’s RPI figure chosen, a 2.7% inflation rate could raise fees to around £9,500 next year.
Earlier reports suggested tuition fees might reach £10,500 over the next five years due to financial pressures on universities. Many institutions are facing potential deficits, with 40% of English universities expecting to operate at a loss this year.
The current £9,250 fee cap dates back to 2017, after being set at £9,000 by the Coalition government in 2012. The Russell Group has highlighted a loss of around £4,000 per UK student due to the cap, stressing the need for financial adjustments.
University finances have also been impacted by a sharp drop in international students, partly due to restrictions on dependent visas, with visa applications down 16% from the previous year. Foreign students, who pay significantly higher fees, have historically provided essential revenue, and the decline in numbers has intensified calls for government intervention.
While insiders anticipated a fee rise in last week’s budget as an acknowledgment by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, no additional funding for higher education was announced.
