NUS RESPONDS TO INDEPENDENT COMMISSION’S FIRST REPORT ON FEES

The National Union of Students (NUS) today (Thursday) responded to the first report from the Independent Commission on Fees first. The Commission, chaired by Will Hutton, reported initial evidence that increased fees have had an impact on application behaviour.

Liam Burns, NUS President said:

“We have always said it would be a tragedy if any young person were put off applying to or going to university because of financial concerns.”

"The applications cycle for the first group of students facing a new, hideously complicated and unstable funding system, scarce opportunity, and high unemployment remains incomplete. We don’t yet know whether or where those who have applied will study.”

“After next week's A-level results, the clearing process will commence, and we remain concerned that applicants, particularly those from certain backgrounds, may not be in a position to choose whether and where to study based on the right course and university for them."

“The longer-term monitoring of the impact of tuition fees needs to look beyond the total volume of university applications and to explore further how universities charging different fee levels, and offering different levels of financial support, affects where students from particular backgrounds study, or indeed whether they end up studying at all.”