Statement on tuition fees and student funding

23 Mar 2011

The University of Manchester has announced plans to charge a headline fee of £9,000 per year to UK and EU undergraduates from 2012.

Alongside this, the University has committed funds to help to ensure that talented students have the opportunity to study at Manchester, regardless of background or ability to pay.

A large number of students will qualify for generous financial support of up to £3,000 p.a. in fees waivers and bursaries for less well-off undergraduates - effectively a year’s free tuition over a typical three-year course.

The President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said: “The University’s Board of Governors agreed to the headline fee of £9,000 very reluctantly, but we believe that this is necessary to ensure and improve the quality of teaching and the wider experience that we offer to all of our students, and it reflects the value of a Manchester degree in the employment market.”

The proposed fees structure will allow Manchester to continue its significant investment in widening participation. Around 30% of the University’s additional fee income will be spent on activities to support students from less advantaged backgrounds.

The University of Manchester already has one of the highest proportions of students from low income backgrounds in the Russell Group (OFFA Monitoring Report 2008/09); only Liverpool has more.

The University of Manchester boasts one of the most extensive programmes of engagement with schools and colleges from disadvantaged areas, and the University plans to enhance this excellent track record through its Access Agreement, by tripling its additional investment in outreach work to £1.2m per year and increasing the number of students progressing through its pioneering Manchester Access Programme by 50%.

The University of Manchester’s proposals for 2012/13 are subject to approval by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).