Overall, there is no limit on the number of university places in England, apart from for a handful of regulated courses like medicine.
To be able to charge maximum fees, universities will be assessed on the additional value they add to a student’s academic journey – although there are no details of how that would work in practice, given the majority of students now graduate with either a first class degree or a 2:1.
Those standards are under consultation, and it’s not clear when they will be introduced to replace the current teaching and excellence framework.
A similar approach is already in place to measure the performance of schools, based on Year 6 Key Stage 2 tests (Sats) and GCSE results, although it is not easy to understand or use by parents.
Details of the proposed maintenance grants for some students on some courses by the end of this parliament are not expected until the autumn Budget on 26 November.
The government’s post-16 skills and higher education white paper also says that, from autumn 2026, a new Lifelong Learning Entitlement will open up tuition fee loans to anyone studying courses at the level equivalent to the first and second year of university.
There is an expectation from government that universities will collaborate with further education colleges to make it easier for students to move from one to another to continue their studies.
The changes announced on Monday only apply to England, as education is devolved across the rest of the UK. Tuition fees in Wales were increased last year to the same level as England, £9,535, a few weeks after the announcement for England was made.
Tuition fees in Northern Ireland were £4,750 in 2024-25, with the economy minister there ruling out any increases above the price of inflation in May.
Scottish students do not pay any tuition fees to go to university in Scotland.
Additional reporting by Hope Rhodes and Hayley Clarke.
