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The University of Nottingham has announced plans to set undergraduate fees at £9,000 from 2012, subject to agreement by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).
The fees will apply to full-time UK and EU students on all undergraduate degree courses. They will replace funding being withdrawn by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and allow the University to invest further in a world-class student experience that has made Nottingham one of the most popular universities in the UK.
New funding proposals follow the recommendations set out in the Browne Review, published in October 2010, and reflect the Government’s decision to make significant cuts in both annual teaching grants and capital grants. The University of Nottingham is faced with a £12m cut in funding from central government in 2011-12, following a reduction of £4m in the current financial year (2010-11).
A substantial package of financial aid will be available to students, to ensure that the University continues to attract the best and the brightest, whatever their background. The University will be offering an additional £4m to support new entrants in 2012, with students from lower-income families benefitting from bursaries and, in some cases, fee waivers. This adds to the £6m which the University already invests in these initiatives.
This broad and progressive package of financial aid will include direct support for students with their living costs, and additional provision will be targeted towards foundation year students, local students, students with disabilities, those with responsibilities as carers and students formerly in care.
In addition to direct financial support, the University will introduce a major increase in its current work with local schools, colleges and the community. The new Nottingham Potential programme will increase outreach significantly, particularly in regard to work with primary and lower-secondary school pupils.
The programme will include academic support, curriculum enrichment, student-pupil mentoring as well as focused work with teachers and parents. This represents a long-term commitment to widening participation and provides a significant opportunity for transformational work in the local area.
Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “We are currently investing £90m in teaching and learning, to ensure that our students continue to enjoy the very best facilities during their studies at The University of Nottingham. The new fee levels we are proposing will allow us to replace the cuts in government expenditure and build on this investment, and build on what we can offer to students who aspire to a world-class education, while maintaining the financial sustainability of the University.
“For our students, a degree from The University of Nottingham represents an investment in their future. This is reflected in the fact that when they graduate, they are among the most sought-after in the country.
“At the same time we have a long tradition of raising aspiration, widening access and supporting achievement, both locally and nationally. With the comprehensive package of financial support we are proposing, together with a step-change in our widening participation activity, we will ensure that Nottingham continues to attract students of the highest calibre – regardless of their financial circumstances.”
Plans to raise fees to £9,000 per year were agreed by the University’s Management Board following several months of detailed investigation within the University and discussions at Council, Nottingham’s governing body, at Senate, with senior academic and professional staff, and with student representatives.
The University’s proposed new fee levels are subject to approval by OFFA, which will consider the arrangements made to ensure that students from all financial backgrounds can still access a Nottingham education. OFFA is expected to confirm universities’ fees and access agreements in July 2011.
Answers to frequently-asked questions available here.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.
The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.
The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.
More news from the University at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/news