University of Wolverhampton announces tuition fees

THE University of Wolverhampton has announced tuition fees slightly below its contemporaries in the hope of attracting new students to the West Midlands.

The university is proposing a standard fee of £8,500 per annum for all undergraduate full-time degree courses from September 2012, and £7,000 per annum for university-based Foundation Degrees, HNC and HND courses, subject to agreement with the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).
 
From next September, universities in England will be allowed to raise tuition fees to up to £9,000 per year to help offset major cuts to teaching budgets.

Wolverhampton said the new fee levels had been proposed to enable the university to compensate for the withdrawal of Government funding and maintain a quality service.

“We will continue to offer our students the opportunity to learn in a first class environment, be taught by leading academic experts and engage with industry, business and the professions in their chosen discipline,” it said in a statement.
 
The university said it had consulted widely with key stakeholders and with its governing body, which included representatives from staff and the Students’ Union.

It said it recognised that if the university was continue to provide students with the best possible education, then this was the level of tuition fee it needed to charge.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Caroline Gipps, said: “We have come to this decision after careful consideration with stakeholders and through conducting research amongst prospective students, their parents and careers advisors.

“The university delivers an exceptional student experience, including considerable employment support. This is borne out by the fact that almost 90% of our graduates go into employment or further study after graduating.

“I am confident that our whole package will represent an ‘open and fair’ deal for future generations of students who choose to study at the University of Wolverhampton.”