The University of Birmingham

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?
It's a portfolio of different attributes which you score on through a matrix. We lay out what you take into account and you score points and there are financial rewards there. It's not just about poor students but about excellent students as well, and recruiting to certain subjects. Points will be scored for domicile, family income, performance in A-levels and subject area.


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

6 If yes, are they funded
A From central university funds?
B From a benefactor, private donations, etc?
C A mixture. We've been successful already in raising funds from alumni - we've had quite a lot of donations specifically for this.


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. We have to do something here to attract and retain the top quality staff - this is part of the value to the student.
D Bursaries
E Bumping up research capacity
F Other, please state


9 Will top-up fees provide enough extra income for the university for the foreseeable future?
A Yes
B No - absolutely not, it's seriously short.


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


The Russell Group argued for a ?5,000 cap. That would have generated money and given more variability through the system. Even top universities would have to think very carefully about charging that. You would have had more of a market.


11 Do you think top-up fees will put less well-off students off going to university?
A Yes
B. No. Less well-off students, actually, are very well off. It's the lower end of the middle income families who will find themselves hard pressed.


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
It's an unnecessary bureaucracy. It's an overhead which we don't need.