IFS - tuition fees

05 July 2017

Commenting on new analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) on tuition fees, Russell Group head of policy Sarah Stevens said:

“High quality higher education needs proper funding to be sustainable. Investment from increased undergraduate fees has been crucial to universities at a time when Government teaching grants have been cut and other budgets are being stretched.

“The IFS recognise that teaching costs for STEM subjects and medicine are higher than other subjects because of the requirement for expensive laboratories, equipment and practical hands-on experience. Tuition fee income alone does not cover these costs.

“A sustainable funding system is needed to help ensure students’ expectations of a world-class learning experience can continue to be met, and exceeded. But higher education should also be affordable for students and it may be helpful for the Government to consider how to address concerns over things like the interest rate applied to undergraduate loans.”