University tuition fees in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Each UK government sets or publishes its own figures for university tuition fees. This page puts the four side by side, quoting each from its own official source, and sets out how they are defined differently.
| Nation | Figure | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| England | Up to £9,790 a year (2026/27) | GOV.UK (Department for Education) |
| Wales | Up to £9,790 a year proposed for 2026/27 | Welsh Government |
| Scotland | Paid by SAAS for most Scottish-domiciled students | Student Awards Agency Scotland |
| Northern Ireland | Up to £4,985 a year (2026/27) | Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland) |
What each government publishes
England
GOV.UK (Department for Education), “Student finance for new full-time students”:
If you’re a full-time student Up to £9,535 Up to £9,790
The figure is the maximum Tuition Fee Loan, which matches the fee cap for approved providers; £9,535 applied in 2025/26.
Wales
Welsh Government, “Written Statement: Tuition fee limits for higher education students for the 2026/27 academic year”:
I can now confirm I am proposing that the tuition fee limit will increase by 2.71% from £9,535 to £9,790 for courses beginning on or after 1 August 2026, subject to the usual regulatory processes.
A ministerial proposal, subject to regulations.
Scotland
Student Awards Agency Scotland, “Higher education student support in Scotland 2023-24”:
In academic year 2023-24, 93.9% of supported full-time students received such support from SAAS.
SAAS pays the tuition fee to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled full-time students, so they do not pay it themselves.
Northern Ireland
Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland), “Rates memorandum, academic year 2026-27”:
may be charged up to £4,985 in tuition fees
For new full-time students studying at a Northern Ireland university; Northern Ireland students studying in Great Britain can be charged up to £9,790.
How the four nations' figures differ
- What a student pays depends on where they normally live and where they study, not only on where the university is. The figures here are for students studying in their home nation.
- England's figure is the maximum Tuition Fee Loan for a full-time course; Wales's is the fee limit the Welsh Government proposed; Northern Ireland's is the maximum fee for local students at Northern Ireland universities.
- Scotland's universities charge a fee for Scottish-domiciled students, but SAAS pays it on their behalf for a first degree, so the student is not charged.
Other subjects compared across the UK nations
- Life expectancy in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Council tax in England, Scotland and Wales, and rates in Northern Ireland
- Prescription charges in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Sources and receipts
- GOV.UK (Department for Education): Student finance for new full-time studentsread 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
22e5e5c62d8b6f02… - Welsh Government: Written Statement: Tuition fee limits for higher education students for the 2026/27 academic yearread 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
7cf6c78200b97d79… - Student Awards Agency Scotland: Higher education student support in Scotland 2023-24read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
fecb68521db670ea… - Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland): Rates memorandum, academic year 2026-27read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
2662b0165d262970…
This page states each government's figures. It gives no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.