Some British universities could charge higher fees without losing applicants but they have small endow- ments so that would

Some British universities could charge higher fees without losing applicants but they have small endow- ments, so that would not solve their problems. The remainder of our universities would simply lose customers.Curiously, some ministers argue that costs are not much of a factor in student choice A glance at application figures dispels that myth. In Scotland, where fees are deferred and poorer students get grants, applications are up by 6 per cent. In the rest of the UK they are up by barely 2 per cent – mostly due to counting numbers not counted last year. Applications have been pretty flat since 1997, when fees were introduced and grants stopped.

Admissions have risen but only because universities are taking a higher proportion of applicants. That means more middle class students because so few working young people apply in the first place.Costs are not the only factor For many rich students, higher fees might not matter The problem is recruiting the less affluent. Applications will not start rising towards the 50 per cent target without some radical cost-cutting for the poorest Deferring fees is one answer Reintroducing grants is another. A third is writing off teachers’ student loans over 10 years, something the Government introduced and that Natfhe argued for. The same write-off might be applied to other public services such as lecturing, research, the national health service, social work or the police.

That would help to encourage applications.But where are the billboards proclaiming this help or saying that fees are heavily means-tested? Few potential applicants understand that only one in three students pays the full fee. There is extra help for older and part-time students, but few know about it. Why is the Government so shy?Evidently, ministers sincerely want to widen participation But without radical change, applications will stay flat. Higher education will only advance towards the 50 per cent target by taking every applicant. And that will simply raise questions about quality and do nothing to increases the proportion of working-class students.Higher education institutions need to play their part.