The fees were at first set by the government at a standard of around three thousand per annum but it is rumoured to be lifting that cap on the amount in the year 2010. The amount is supposed to be raising to roughly ten thousand per annum and this does not even include the amount needed for living expenses. As a result of this dramatic increase in tuition fees it seems likely that the applications for the more prestigious universities will significantly decrease and will be filled by rich over-sees students. For many people it will mean not going to university at all or face being in serious debt for the majority of their adult life. However this seems a bit condratictory as the government is also encouraging people to not have debt and so seems to think that raising univiersity fees will help that. The Vice-Chancellor of the Russell Group has been heard saying that 'if the country wants first class universities, it has to find a way of paying for them.'