The government has announced major changes to higher education as
part of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, designed to
make universitymore
accessible, fairer, and better value for students.
Here's what you need to know about how these reforms could affect
you.
How will university become more
accessible?
Going to university is a big decision, and cost can be one of the
biggest worries for students and families.
To give students more certainty about their finances, maintenance
loans will increase each year in line with forecast inflation.
That means the money you receive will go up as prices rise.
Students from the lowest-income households will see the biggest
increases in cash support, helping to ensure that everyone can
afford to focus on their studies.
The government is also bringing back targeted maintenance grants,
that do not have to be repaid, to give extra help to those who
need it most. These grants will be funded through a new charge on
international student fees, ensuring additional support without
extra cost to domestic students.
What's happening to tuition fees?
To help stabilise university finances, tuition fee caps will rise
with forecast inflation, ensuring that universities can continue
to deliver high-quality courses.
In future, only universities that achieve quality ratings,
demonstrating strong outcomes and positive experiences for their
students, will be allowed to charge the maximum fee.
This means universities will need to show that they're offering
real value for students and the taxpayer.
How will standards in higher education
improve?
Students deserve to know that their time and money are being well
spent.
The Office for Students (OfS)
will have new powers to make sure universities maintain high
standards and deliver good student outcomes and satisfaction
rates.
If courses don't deliver for students, the OfS will be able to
act quickly to hold providers to account.
The government will also take action against abuse of the system
by recruitment agents.
How will learning become more flexible?
Education doesn't stop at 18 or 21. The new Lifelong Learning
Entitlement (LLE) will make it easier for people to learn,
retrain or upskill at any stage of life.
Learners will be able to move between universities, colleges and
training providers, building up qualifications over time rather
than needing to complete a full degree in one go.
The government is also looking at ways to introduce “break
points” within degrees, allowing students to gain recognised
qualifications as they progress — and return later to complete
their studies if they choose.
What do these changes mean for
students?
These reforms are about creating a fairer, more flexible and
higher-quality higher education system that delivers real value
for students.
By increasing financial support, strengthening standards,
improving housing and introducing new opportunities to learn
throughout life, the government aims to ensure that no student is
priced out of higher education.
