Institutions count cost of exceeding student cap

English universities have exceeded their numbers cap by thousands of students this year as applicants flocked to avoid higher tuition fees, and large fines are expected, with London Metropolitan University alone facing a hit of up to £6 million (US$9.4 million), writes John Morgan for Times Higher Education.

Over-recruitment for 2011-12 is as high as 25,000 across the sector, some believe. That would represent a huge rise on last year, when universities exceeded their cap by just 2,150 places. Professor Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of London Met, said the fine levied against his university by the Higher Education Funding Council for England would be between £5 million and £6 million. Although London Met had appealed and cited "substantial mitigation", it had nevertheless made a £5.1 million provision for the fine in its accounts, Gillies added.
Full report on the Times Higher Education site