THE Government’s pledge that top-up fees would not disadvantage those from low-income families was under threat last night after one university announced that it would offer a discount to students who could pay for their entire degree in advance.
Students at the University of Gloucestershire will be entitled to a 20 per cent discount on their fees if they can pay the entire £9,000 for their three-year degree when they start.
The offer will not be available to those who need state help. The university said that there were other “generous, means-tested” bursaries on offer to families as part of its “innovative pricing policy”.
In addition students who did not pay up-front but instructed the Student Loan Company to pay the university £3,000 per year would be entitled to a 10 per cent rebate as they completed each year of study.
The university said it had had “a couple of inquiries” about the scheme.
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Gemma Tumelty, president of the National Union of Students, said: “It seems ridiculous that somebody who is rich enough will end up paying less for their education.”