Nottingham uni to charge fees of £9,000
The fees will apply to full-time UK and EU students on all undergraduate degree courses, including veterinary students.
Commenting, BVA President Harvey Locke said: "The Nottingham news does not come as a surprise. Since the announcement on tuition fees we have expected veterinary degrees would be amongst the most expensive because all UK veterinary schools are part of top quality universities and veterinary degrees are expensive courses to run.
"We will be very interested to see what plans Nottingham and indeed all veterinary schools have to widen participation and to reach students from non-traditional backgrounds.
"The BVA remains deeply concerned that high fees will put pupils off considering a career as a vet. It is important that universities work hard to attract a wide variety of students and that support is available to make the profession attractive to those from a wider range of backgrounds than is currently the case."
The university says that “a substantial package of financial aid” will be available to students, in order to ensure that the University continues to attract the best and the brightest, whatever their background. The University will be offering an additional £4m to support new entrants in 2012, with students from lower-income families benefitting from bursaries and, in some cases, fee waivers. This adds to the £6m which the University already invests in these initiatives.
Plans to raise fees to £9,000 per year were agreed by the University’s Management Board following several months of detailed investigation within the University and discussions at Council, Nottingham’s governing body, at Senate, with senior academic and professional staff, and with student representatives.
The University’s proposed new fee levels are subject to approval by OFFA, which will consider the arrangements made to ensure that students from all financial backgrounds can still access a Nottingham education. OFFA is expected to confirm universities’ fees and access agreements in July 2011.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
