Minister outlines position on variable tuition fees
Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today spoke about Variable Tuition Fees.
The Minister said: “Variable fees were introduced in September 2006 to provide our universities with additional revenue to help them maintain their world class status. Students do not have to pay fees upfront or during their course of study and they may defer payment until they have left university and are earning over £15,000 pa.
“Increased maintenance grants were introduced at the same time, to mitigate the impact of variable fees on less well off students. It is too early to gauge the impact of variable fees, as we have only completed one academic year of the new arrangements. However, a review is planned to commence in Academic Year 2008/09 which will look, particularly, at participation by students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The outcome of the review will inform future policy on tuition fees and student finance arrangements for Northern Ireland.
“In the meantime, I have agreed to meet with representatives of NUS-USI in the coming weeks to discuss their concerns.”
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