On Monday 4 November 2024 the UK Government announced proposed increases in tuition fees for UK students studying in England, and in maintenance loans for English students. These increases will take effect from the academic year 2025/26.
These changes mean that for full-time UK undergraduate students studying in England, the maximum tuition fee will rise to £9,535 per year, an increase of £285. For English undergraduate students studying outside London, the maximum maintenance loan will rise to £10,544 per year, an increase of £317. Different arrangements apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can read more about these changes on the UK Government website.
The increases are subject to further parliamentary approval, and are proposed to come into effect from 1 August 2025. Durham University will adopt tuition fees at the new rate of £9,535 per year.
Durham University will charge home rate tuition fees up to the maximum allowed by the UK Government. Should the UK Government choose to increase the maximum tuition fee allowed in the second and subsequent years of your course, Durham University will raise tuition fees in line with UK Government policy and approvals.
For UK students with an approved tuition fee loan, the Student Loan Company will pay the tuition fees directly to the University. You will only start to repay the tuition fee loan once you earn over the earnings threshold. The amount you then pay back each year will depend on what you earn (not on how much you have borrowed). Your annual repayments will not increase due to the change in tuition fees.
There is more information on UK government funding here: Government Funding - Durham University.
Some students may choose to pay tuition fees directly themselves. Fees can be paid via direct debit, bank transfer, or debit/credit card. You can find information on how to do this here: How to Pay Your Invoice - Durham University.
Tuition fees are payable for every year of your course (including during placement and study abroad).
If you spend a year on placement during academic year 2025/26 then the tuition fee is £1,905, and if you spend a year abroad then the tuition fee is £1,430.
Tuition fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been agreed. If you have applied for deferred entry in 2026 or request to do so in the future, you will be advised of the fee you will have to pay no later than June of the year in which you start your course.
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, students from the EU, EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fee status or financial support from Student Finance England.
Unless you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively then you will be charged overseas fees (which can be found using our courses search below).
The UK Government is firmly committed to maintaining the rights of Irish citizens to access higher and further education courses on a reciprocal basis. This includes rights to home fee status, tuition fee loans and maintenance support subject to meeting the eligibility criteria on the same basis as UK nationals.
Irish citizens resident in the UK, Islands or Ireland for three years before the start of their course and undertaking a course in England will be eligible for home fee status, tuition fee loans and Advanced Learner Loans from Student Finance England on the same basis as UK nationals.
For students starting their programme in 2025/26 (and later), fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed on the course database is for the first year of the course only; fees for subsequent years will be confirmed not less than 3 months before the start of the academic year to which the increase is intended to apply and will be published on the Finance webpages.
In deciding the annual level of increase the University will take into account inflationary pressures on the costs of delivery. Tuition fees will rise annually by up to the higher of;
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