STUDENTS at universities in England face having to pay higher fees from next year - even those who have already started their degree.
The Office for Fair Access (Offa) has said institutions in England can increase tuition fees to £9,250.
Almost every university has been approved to charge the higher fees from 2017/18 as a new upper limit.
More than 30, however, have set this amount as a minimum, meaning all students could haver to pay more, not just those starting from 2017.
Typically students will pay the same annual fee throughout their time at university, irrespective of changes made.
Thousands of students from the north attend university in England, where fees are considerably higher than home institutions.
In the north, economy minister Simon Hamilton is considering options, which include one that could see a three-year degree costing £27,000.
There is a large funding gap between the resourcing of universities in Britain and the north - about £39 million per year. Institutions in England are not as reliant on government funding because they can charge much higher fees and caps on places, that remain in the north, have been lifted.
In addition, higher education funding has fallen from £203m to £186m in the north, prompting both Ulster and Queen's universities to make staff and student cuts.
With Stormont finances expected become even tighter, it is feared a tuition rise may be the only available source of extra income.
Annual costs ranging from £6,500 to £9,000 are being considered. It has also been reported that Queen's has recommended fees of up to £6,300 a year, which would help reverse cuts to student places.
In England, any university that wants to charge higher tuition fees for home undergraduates must have an access agreement approved by the director of fair access at Offa.
The admissions process for university entry for autumn 2017 opened to applicants yesterday. Offa published agreements that revealed how much universities can charge these students from next year.
The agreements showed that almost every institution has been given permission to set a new maximum of £9,250 from 2017, however, MPs must first support raising the current cap.
A further group of 36 universities and colleges have been given approval for fees of £9,250 as a minimum, rather than a maximum. They include the London School of Economics, University of Southampton and Derby.