It is a principled part of BYC’s vision in our Youth Manifesto that there should be properly funded higher education system, free at the point of entry, with a student grant that properly reflects the cost of living. This system should be based solely on students’ ability and be independent of economic or social background, allowing free access to education.

However, currently UK students studying in England, Wales and Northern Ireland pay variable tuition fees or top-up fees to study in a higher education institution such as a university. Top-up fees were introduced by the Higher Education Act in 2004. The government also detailed a ‘cap’ (a maximum tuition fee) on what universities can charge – at the moment this is £3,300 a year.For a brief guide to higher education funding in the UK click here.

An important step in the campaign for fairer Higher Education funding is joining with the NUS to defeat any attempts to lift the top-up fees cap.

No cap could mean students debts of up to £37,000

Research has projected that if the variable fee cap was set at a maximum of £7,000, we might expect average annual university fees of around £4,300. Fees at this level for a three-year degree, plus taking up the average loan for living costs (projected at around £3,500) then this would mean a debt of around £25,000, once interest has also been added for each of the three years.

Campaigning in 2009 is crucial

After complex and controversial debates, the Higher Education Bill received Royal Assent on 1 July 2004. Government officials at the time said that they would complete a review of higher education in 2009 - three years after top-up fees were introduced in 2006.

For useful links with more information and debate on Higher Education funding check out below: