Written in collaboration with Lexie Baynes, Union Affairs Officer, Students’ Union
On 4 November, the government announced that tuition fees for undergraduate home students will increase by £285, from £9,250 to £9,535 per year. This is the first rise in over eight years, and it brings some important changes.
Our tuition fees will rise in line with the cap increase from the next academic year. We have made the decision that both new and current home undergraduate students will pay the increased fees from September 2025.
Why have fees increased?
For many years, tuition fees have been capped at the same level, even as the costs of providing a high-quality education have risen with inflation. This has created a gap that has become increasingly challenging for universities to manage. Institutions across the sector rely on this funding to invest in the resources and facilities that enhance student experiences, and, in some cases, to maintain financial stability. Earlier this year, the higher education regulator, the Office for Students, expressed concern about the financial pressures on universities, with a number facing the risk of running budget deficits and needing additional support.
What does it mean for home students?
With the increase in tuition fees, you’ll need to borrow more to cover your education costs. The government is changing student loan arrangements to match this cost, so you won’t need to pay anything upfront. We recognise that this means you’ll graduate with a higher total debt.
The repayment terms for student loans remain income based. You’ll only start repaying your loan once you earn above a certain threshold, and the amount you repay each month will depend on your income. This means your monthly repayments won’t increase unless your earnings do. While the total debt may be higher, any remaining debt is written off after 40 years.
International students will be unaffected by these changes.
Have maintenance loans also increased?
Alongside the tuition fee increase, maintenance loans for English students will also rise by 3.1%. As a university, we’ve lobbied for this additional support; we contributed to and supported the UUK Blueprint, and our President has argued for it recently in his interview with the BBC Today program and in other media interviews.
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | Increase | |
| Living at home | £8,610 | £8,877 | £267 |
| Living away from home | £10,227 | £10,544 | £317 |
| Overseas | £11,713 | £12,076 | £363 |
Maintenance Loans for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish students are processed through a different system, and there has not yet been an announcement that loans for these students will be increased. For the most up to date information, please see Student Awards Agency Scotland, Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Student Finance Wales for more information.
Is the University richer now that the Government have increased tuition fees?
No. In the recent UK budget, the Government increased National Insurance Contributions (NICs) paid by employers by 1.2% and lowered the payment threshold for national insurance to £5,000. The tuition fee increase will not cover these additional costs, which are substantial.
We understand the difficult fiscal pressures this government, and many universities face. However, we should be clear that Manchester is not in a better financial position due to these recent decisions.
What support is there from the University?
We recognise that this announcement may worry some students, and we encourage you to get in touch if you are feeling anxious or face financial difficulty. We offer several support and funding opportunities for students:
In partnership with the Students’ Union, we have recently boosted our financial support packages, including providing nearly 20% more scholarships and bursaries in an additional investment of £2.5m per year, benefitting 1,000 more students. From September this year, we increased the Manchester Bursary from £2,000 to £2,600 and £1,000 to £1,300 respectively. Although the government has not raised household income thresholds, we recognise the impact of inflation on family finances, and so from September 2025 we’re broadening our criteria so that many more students will be eligible to receive our bursary. We will be providing more detail on our enhanced support in the coming weeks.
Got questions about University finances?
On Wednesday 11 December from 2pm to 3pm, Carol Prokopyszyn, Chief Financial Officer at The University of Manchester will be attending an open meeting hosted by Lexie Baynes, Union Affairs Officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union, to discuss the University’s 2023/24 financial statement and answer your questions about university finances. Sign up for a place here.