Anglia Polytechnic University

1 Will you charge:
A Top-up fees across the board maximum (?3,000)
B A flat rate for all courses below ?3,000. (If so, what is it)
C Different rates for different courses.(If so,please specify range - ie minimum/maximum)


"APU has franchised provision out to about 26 regional partners, so the issue is much more complicated for us than most other universities and we haven't yet managed to work our way through it. It's likely that it will be different rates for different courses."


2 If you are varying fees will they be:
A Lower for Sciences
B Lower for Arts/Humanities/social sciences
C Lower for foundation degrees
D Lower for vocationally-focused degrees
E A combination, please state (areas or specific courses)


"It's likely that the differentiation will be between degree and sub-degree courses."


3 Are you introducing bursaries?
A Yes
B No


4 How much for? At least ?300 - probably more

5 If yes, will they be:
A Targeted at the most needy students
B Targeted at subjects which are short of students
C A mixture, please detail


"I suspect it's going to vary according to the time of year."


6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds?
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture?

"We already have benefactor bursaries, but certainly we will look at how some of the increased income can be used for bursaries."


7 Have you employed outside agencies to help you make the decision (market researchers/brand managers)?
A Yes
B No


8 Where will you spend the extra income?
A Better student facilities - yes
B Better academic facilities - yes
C Better academic pay - if I say yes, I am damned and if I say no, I am damned. The answer is possibly
D Bursaries - yes
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state - "We will be spending a proportion on student support, that is guidance, student mentors, counsellors. I regard that as a legitimate way to improve student experience."


9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B No


10 How long do you expect the limit on top-up fees to remain at ?3,000?
A 1-3 years
B 4-6 years
C 7-10 years
D Over 10 years


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B No


"I fear it will. That's the exact cohort who are very debt adverse. How it's actually being constructed is that you will have a debt at the end."


12 How do you think Offa will affect your attempts to widen participation?
A Help
B Hinder
C Have no effect
D Undecided, please state


"I fear it will hinder. We have one of the best records at widening participation and we are already committed to taking that forward more. For universities who don't already have a policy it could be helpful, but for us I am worried."


Any other comments?
Part-time students: "We have something like 45 per cent part-time students and actually we are immensely concerned as to how disadvantaged we are going to be because of the part-time nature of our provision. That's a greater worry to me than how to set the fees. In an era where the government is keen on widening participation - something that necessarily includes offering more part time places - this seems to be counterproductive and a great concern."