University of Portsmouth to charge £8,500 fees

The University of Portsmouth has announced it plans to charge tuition fees of £8,500 a year from 2012 - £500 less than the maximum.

The university said the fees will enable it to continue to provide a "first class" teaching and learning environment for students.

Bursaries and discounts will be available to students from poorer backgrounds, the university added.

The fees are subject to approval by the Office of Fair Access (OFFA).

A number of universities have already announced they intend to charge the full £9,000 including Bath, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge.

Professor John Craven, vice-chancellor at Portsmouth, said: "We have a strong track record of encouraging prospective students to see attending university as an attractive and accessible option, one which is very important for their future careers and their personal development.

"Our fee decision will enable us to continue to provide a first class teaching and learning environment for students, despite the significant cuts in public funding to universities.

"We know that bursary support is very important to many students as they try to balance their studies with the need for sufficient money to meet their costs of living."

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