15.03.2005
The University of Brighton today confirmed that, from 2006, it will use additional fee income to offer bursaries and it expects at least half of its full-time students to receive financial assistance under the terms of the agreement struck with the access regulator, OFFA.
Along with almost all other universities, the university will charge fees of £3,000 a year from 2006-7 for its full-time undergraduate courses – and all of this income is destined both to help students with their finances and in developing the university in which they will be living and studying.
About a quarter of the additional income is allocated for students
through a bursary package that will mean those who are less well off will
get financial support while they are studying.
The university’s bursaries are based on family circumstances and students
with a family income up to about £33,000 a year will qualify automatically.
There’s a simple scale that means those from the poorest homes can get
a bursary of £1,000 a year while those with incomes closer to £33,000
can get a bursary of £500 a year.
As the university’s bursaries are in addition to new government funding for students, with grants up to £2,700 a year and loans over £3,000 a year at favourable rates of interest, it is hoped that students will find it easier to afford to study and reap the career and income benefits of a degree.
There will also be a scholarship fund of £100,000 a year for students with the most potential to benefit from higher education; a number of sports scholarships for disabled athletes and additional funding to work with local schools to encourage more young people to consider a university course.
The remaining additional fee income will be invested in a major programme to improve the learning and teaching for students, including a £25m-plus building programme.
Sir David Watson, Vice Chancellor, said
'We believe this is among the most generous packages of support available. We will be using just over £1.5m in 2006-07 for individual bursaries and access activities, increasing to over £4m in 2010-11. We estimate our bursary package will benefit around 1,700 students in the first year.
It has many features, not least that students will get money as of right, without requiring a separate or complicated application process and will know how much they will receive before they start their course.
There will be a range of options out there for students from different universities and I am optimistic that we have struck the optimum balance in benefiting both individual students and the whole university community.'
- The Higher Education Act 2004 allows universities to charge fees up to £3,000 a year for full-time undergraduate courses if they satisfy the Office for Fair Access about their intentions with respect to bursaries and outreach.
- The Act abolished up-front fees for students. Instead, fees will be deferred: the student pays no fee at the time of studying but repays the fees once they graduate and their income crosses a threshold.
- The new arrangements apply only to home/EU students starting their courses in 2006-07, those already on course will continue under the current arrangements.
- Slightly different arrangements will apply for students at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and these are being finalised.
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
