Leighton Andrews, minister for education and skills in the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), has made a statement on the WAG's response to the Browne Review of higher education funding and student finance in England, and the Westminster government's subsequent proposals.

In his response, he states that fee loans will be extended to part-time Welsh undergraduate students, depending on their intensity of study.  Full-time undergraduates living in Wales at the time of application will not have to pay more than they do at present, but English, Scottish and Northern Irish students studying in Wales will pay higher fees. 

As there is no current regulation of fees for part-time undergraduates, it is unclear at present whether regulation will be brought in, or whether loans will be set at a certain amount with the possibility the fees could be higher.  Under current arrangements, Wales has slightly lower fee support for part-time students than is available in England, but it has more generous grants for courses costs, as well as, uniquely in the UK, offering childcare support to part-time undergraduates.

Click here for the full details of the NUS Wales response to the announcement in English, and here for the response in Welsh.