The cost of going to university in England is set to rise again, with the government confirming that tuition fees will increase each year in line with inflation from 2026 onwards. The change means that students starting their courses after that date could pay well over £10,000 a year by the end of the decade.
For almost a decade, the tuition-fee cap has stayed close to £9,250, with only small adjustments in recent years. But universities have been warning that frozen fees, combined with rising costs, have left them struggling to maintain standards. The new system will allow annual increases tied to inflation – giving institutions more money, but also raising the total debt faced by students.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the reform is about protecting quality and fairness. Under the new rules, universities that fail to meet teaching-quality benchmarks could be barred from charging the full rate. The idea is to link value for money directly to performance, so that students aren’t paying premium prices for poor outcomes.
For universities, the move offers some relief. Many are battling financial shortfalls caused by higher energy bills, staff costs and falling numbers of international students. Allowing fees to rise gradually with inflation should help stabilise budgets. But for students, it means planning for higher borrowing and larger repayment totals.
Prospective students applying for 2026 entry now face an even more complicated picture. Those beginning in 2025 will likely be the last cohort to pay under the current fixed-fee system. Anyone starting later should expect increases during their studies, as the new system will allow the fee cap to rise each year they remain enrolled.
The Department for Education insists that the repayment system will remain fair, with graduates only paying a percentage of their income above the threshold. But critics argue that more debt is more debt, regardless of when it’s repaid, and that the rising cost of living makes the overall burden unsustainable.
Student groups have reacted cautiously. The National Union of Students said that while better funding for universities is important, “students shouldn’t be footing the bill for a broken funding system.” Others point out that tying fees to inflation could lock in year-on-year price hikes even if graduate wages fail to keep pace.
For many sixth-formers now considering university, the announcement has added a new layer of uncertainty. Parents and teachers say students are already anxious about money, and this will only deepen those worries. Some young people may look abroad, or towards apprenticeships and degree-alternatives, as they weigh up whether university is still worth it.
The government has hinted that the new fee model could come with updated maintenance-loan levels to offset the impact. But no detailed plan has been released, leaving students unsure how far their budgets will stretch.
In practical terms, a student starting a three-year course in 2026 could see their first-year fee around £9,700, rising to £10,100 by final year if inflation continues at current levels. That extra few hundred pounds a year might not sound much, but it pushes total borrowing higher and increases interest charged over time.
The bigger question is philosophical: should higher education be treated like any other market service that adjusts with inflation, or should it remain a protected public good? Universities argue that without more income, standards and research will fall. Students argue they’re already paying enough.
As ministers finalise the details, one thing is clear: the cost of university life isn’t going down anytime soon. For those planning their future studies, the message is simple — start budgeting now.