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British universities have responded to the opportunity to drastically raise student fees without substantive justification by drastically raising student fees without any justification whatsoever (mostly).
British students have responded to this by rioting, burning shit, attacking the motorcades of confused members of the British Royal Family, and writing sternly worded letters to their local student rags.

 
The trouble started when the Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government introduced a law that allows universities to substantially raise fees from 2012. The previous maximum was set at £3290 per year, while under the new law universities can charge a maximum of a whopping £9000.
 

This maximum was to be reserved for “elite” universities who would use the extra revenue to “widen access” to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. When announced it was generally thought that this £9000 level would generally apply only at Oxbridge and internationally renowned universities like University College London or the London School of Economics.

 
However, most credible institutions have so far announced that fees for 2012 will be set at the maximum level. Commentators have pointed out that many universities are substantially oversubscribed due to geographic location and can afford to charge the top level of fees, despite not having an international reputation for excellence. This is particularly the case with London-based universities, which face massive demand for places.
 

That so many institutions will now charge the top rate has also left the government facing a huge initial bill, as most students pay their fees by taking a student loan from the Crown. With the huge increase in fees, it is also expected that the average loan will take substantially longer to pay off, meaning increased future costs to be borne by the taxpayer.
 

Students have responded to the increases by holding large-scale riots which have received international press coverage. In one incident the motorcade carrying Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, was attacked by student protesters including Charlie Gilmour, the son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.

 
University of Otago students, meanwhile, have had to deal with an average 6.3% increase in domestic fees in 2011. This is still a fair chunk of change, but pales in comparison with the increase of 280% or so that British students are facing.

 
However, with the cost of Canterbury earthquake rebuilding likely to significantly shape this year’s budget, it remains to be seen if student loans will remain interest free. The government has not ruled out the possibility of applying interest, although Prime Minister John Key said that such a change was “unlikely”.