Aston 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)


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) N/A


3 Are you introducing bursaries?
A Yes
B No


4 How much for?
"We don't know how much they will be. We are doing some modelling at the moment, but we are proposing to tie it in with LEA means tests which will come back into play."
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


"But predominantly we are trying to identify the kids with the most need on the basis that they will be the least able to afford to come."


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

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
B Better academic facilities
C Better academic pay
D Bursaries
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state

"Like most universities we need to spend a lot on our physical infrastructure and the environment in which out students study."


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


"The sector has a huge shortfall and the introduction of top-up fees, depending on how you did the calculation, is expected to make up for between 12.5% and 25% of the shortfall. We still have to pursue all the commercial initiatives that we are pursuing and we still rely quite heavily on increased recruitment from overseas. It will be better, but nowhere where we want to be to compete effectively on the international market."


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


"A - because the amount of debt that are going to finish up with is so high. The huge advantage to the current proposal is the delay in paying it back, but still for kids from some families the prospect of picking up ?20,000 worth of debt is just horrific. That's an amount of money that the family have probably never conceived of in their life."


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 honestly don't know. It depends on how they conduct themselves. This university consistently comes in the top half a dozen for widening participation but we are aware we could still do better. Ironically, the imposition of fees will allow us to do better because it will free up some cash and allow us to be more proactive in the community. However, I do think Offa is unnecessary. "