The United Kingdom is planning its first increase in university tuition fees in eight years, scheduled to begin in September 2025, according to The Telegraph.

 

The United Kingdom is preparing for its first university tuition fee increase in eight years, set to take effect in September 2025, as reported by The Telegraph

This change will impact current A-level students aiming to enter university.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government is expected to approve the rise, with an announcement anticipated from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. Tuition fees, which have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017, will be adjusted to reflect Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation.

Although it remains unclear which inflation rate will be applied, if fees were aligned with the current 2.7% rate, they could increase to around £9,500 next year. Previous reports have speculated that fees might reach £10,500 within five years. Ministers are reportedly cautious about further hikes, given ongoing reviews of the higher education funding system.

The expected increase is in response to mounting financial pressures in higher education, as 40% of English universities project a deficit this year. Tuition was last raised in 2017, and since then, universities have argued that frozen fees are eroding budgets. The Russell Group, a coalition of top UK universities, estimates a £4,000 shortfall per domestic student under the current cap.

Universities have also been affected by a 16% decrease in international student visa applications, a result of recent restrictions on dependent visas. Since international students typically pay three to four times the domestic tuition rate, this decline has significantly impacted university revenue.

Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, noted that universities need a fee increase well above inflation to cover rising costs, including an estimated £400 million burden due to higher employer national insurance contributions. “If the fee increase is only 2 to 3 per cent, financial concerns will persist,” he warned, calling for additional maintenance support for students as well.

Insiders suggest a modest tuition increase might have been announced in the recent budget, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves held off on new education funding. There is also growing pressure to restore maintenance grants for students, a move that could cost the Treasury up to £2.3 billion annually.

Ms. Phillipson is expected to frame this fee increase as an initial step toward overhauling university funding and could spark discussions on restoring maintenance grants, cut in 2016. In response to concerns about mounting student debt, the government is also exploring potential reforms to the tuition repayment model to ease the burden on graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of Universities UK, has urged the government to act, highlighting the need to “index-link the fee” as a basic step. According to UUK, if tuition funding had matched inflation, the current support per student would be closer to £12,000-£13,000.

As of now, the Department for Education has not issued a formal statement.