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CARDIFF’S STUDENT WEEKLY free word - EST. 1972
NUS/DAILY MIRROR NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 03/04 GUARDIAN STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 04/05
As we look towards next weeks 800th edition, Grab get set to give away the trip of a lifetime to New Zealand
ISSUE 799 November 14 2005
Jobs & Money investigate how to stay fraud free as identity theft continues to effect the lives of students PAGE 18
NEXT WEEK
DUCK OFF FEES: Students take to the streets to fight top-up fees in Wales (main picture). BELOW: The wealth of anti-fees publicity from last year’s campaign
CONFUSION REIGNS By Caroline Farwell News Editor STUDENTS IN Wales are unaware of their future financial security because of increasing confusion surrounding the introduction of top-up fees. Students have been left unsure as to how much they will be expected to pay when the Welsh Assembly eventually decide on funding policies for universities in Wales. At a rally last week, the National Union of Students (NUS) renewed concerns over top-up fees and Earlier this year, opposition parties in the Assembly forced through a vote against top-up fees, ending what First Minister Rhodri Morgan called a ‘cloud of uncertainty’ over funding. Janet Ryder, Assembly Member for North Wales, said: “The commitment we made not to introduce top-up fees during
this assembly term [ending April 2007] was the best we could do at the time. “The higher education system should not be a market place, everyone should have the same level of opportunity. Things seem better since the removal of the upfront-fees system, but so many students are unaware of the debt that they will be in by the end of university.” Despite the assembly’s vote that top-up fees were wrong ‘in principal’, a motion was passed in June this year introducing deferred tuition fees in Wales. The government said its manifesto commitments rule out any top-up fees in the academic year 2006/07, but the new motion allows Welsh universities to charge top-up fees of up to £3,000 from 2007. Students living in Wales will only have to pay a fee of £1,200, that will be deferred until after graduation and the rest will be paid by the Assembly. Welsh students studying in Wales will
also receive a £1,800 fee remission grant. Cardiff Central AM Jenny Randerson said: “I greatly regret that we are not legally able to give non-Welsh students help, but it would present a difficult financial issue. Currently we need to address the difference of funding between England and Wales. “I recommend to English domiciles studying here to be onto their MPs to lobby the government.” There are still several parts of the funding policy that are yet to be finalised by the Assembly, adding to the confusion for Welsh students. For example, students pursuing courses not available in Welsh universities, such as vetinary science, remain uncertain as to what assistance they can receive. The Assembly says it is still investigating this issue, along with possible schemes to provide support for part-time students in Wales.
Students unsure about the implications of forthcoming fees “What do I know about the top-up fees situation? Jack all. Diddley-squat.” Abu Sadikot, third-year Dentistry student