Winchester University to increase tuition fees to £8,500

It is setting its fees for 2012 at £8,500 a year for undergraduate students.

But the university is investing in widening access and supporting poorer students.

It plans to make major investment and yesterday announced fee waivers of up to £6,000 for poorer students who might not initially be able to afford to attend university.

There will also be funds to spend on outreach programmes, such as going into schools to encourage pupils that university could be for them.

A special hardship fund, used to help out students who find themselves with sudden financial difficulties, will also be made bigger, while more effort will be placed on encouraging children who have spent time in care to consider university as part of their futures.

University chiefs also plan to work at boosting the employability of students, by offering skills workshops, encouraging volunteering in the community and work experience placements.

The announcement follows Southampton University’s revelation that it will charge the maximum of £9,000 next year, while Southampton Solent will levy £7,800.

Joy Carter, vice chancellor at Winchester, said: “The university is a values-driven institution focused on providing its students with highquality teaching underpinned by academic research, excellent learning and personal development opportunities and leading student satisfaction.

“Widening access to higher education has always been a key priority and the university attracts high numbers of students from under-represented backgrounds. The planned expansion of our support packages and activities for widening access will help ensure that students are not deterred from entering into higher education.”

Prof Carter added: “The university has set its fees at a level that recognises the significant cuts in government funding and protects the quality of our teaching and the overall student experience.”

Seb Miell, the president of the student union, was abroad and unavailable for comment.