Degree costs continue to soar as Napier and QMU announce RUK fees

Two Edinburgh universities this week became the latest Scottish universities in announcing drastically increased tuition fee costs for rest-of-UK students from 2012.

Edinburgh Napier University announced on 29 September that RUK fees would be raised to £6,500 per year, with a total degree cost of £26,000 for a normal undergraduate degree. Queen Margaret University announced the following day that they would charge £6,750 per year — a total of £27,000 for a four-year degree.

Napier Students' Association president Tom Zanelli broke with his fellow student union presidents at other institutions in praising the move, telling The Journal: "I think the fees are at an acceptable level and we aren't shying away from what we are offering. We are a modern, up-and-coming university."

But the National Union of Students Scotland continued their hard line against the raising of fees, calling Napier's decision "ridiculous" and suggesting that it would further damage the reputation of Scottish universities.

President Robin Parker said: “Principals in Scotland are at risk of closing the doors to students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The damage of these fee decisions are being felt across the UK with degrees in Scotland, including Napier, the most expensive in the UK. The reputational damage to Scottish universities should not be underestimated.”

Speaking to The Journal, Mr Parker added that he was convinced that NSA and its members will continue their previously clear opposition to raised fees, saying they will “no doubt” work alongside students from across Scotland to ensure the offered bursary package keeps their RUK students from being “priced out of education”.

The hiked fees mean students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland beginning their education in September 2012 onwards will pay £26,000 for a four year honours course, putting the cost of a degree from Napier University on a level with Oxford or Cambridge.

QMU is the last of Edinburgh's universities to announce their fee plans. Melvin Henley, vice president of QMU Students' Union condemned the increase in fees, positioning the union as fundamentally oppose to tuition fees of any sort. "I, along with the rest of the Officers' Committee, am disappointed that Queen Margaret University has not shown more courage and dared to set lower, more accessible RUK fees."

Both universities have vowed to offer comprehensive bursary packages in order to secure fair access to students from low-income households. Mr Henley said QMUSU "welcomes" the pledge, and would continue its dialogue with university officials to ensure a fair deal for all students.

As The Journal has previously reported, Edinburgh's universities have tended towards higher degree costs since the deregulation of tuition fees. The University of Edinburgh is now one of the most expensive universities in the UK, charging £36,000 for a four-year degree. A degree from Heriot-Watt University will cost £27,000.