Tuition fee grants for Welsh students 'should be scrapped', says education review

Education panel calls for a means-tested grant to help cover living costs instead

For students from households with an income £80,000 and over, they will only be eligible for the £1,000 a year (PA)

A major education review has called for the tuition fee grants available to Welsh students to be scrapped.

Currently, Welsh students only have to pay the first £3,900 of the maximum £9,000 universities can charge for tuition fees.

An expert panel led by Professor Sir Ian Diamond has called for the grant to be replaced by means-tested financial support to help pay living costs instead.

The education review was commissioned by the Welsh government to help reduce the taxpayer bill - which cost £237 million in 2015/16.

Professor Diamond, vice-chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, said: "In contrast to England, where maintenance support for students will be based on loans, we propose a significant universal element of maintenance support for full-time students."

The review proposed all students receive £1,000 a year along with an additional means-tested grant.

For those from the lowest income households (earning less than £20,000 a year), the maximum grant would cover the term-time living costs.

Students from households with an income £80,000 and over will only be eligible to receive £1,000 a year.

Welsh Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: "We want to make sure that those who wish to go on to university are able to.

"The fear of not being able to meet the cost of living on a daily basis puts many off, not the prospect of paying back loans after they are in work. This system addresses that issue head on, but will also mean making tough decisions to make sure the system is sustainable in the long-term."