DETAILS of a proposed radical shake-up of higher education have been dominating the headlines over the past few weeks.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke has unveiled plans to introduce top-up fees which would see students having to pay up to £3,000 a year.

The plans will force thousands of youngsters even deeper into debt, and they have met with a mixed reaction from Bolton's three Labour MPs.

For the first time, universities and colleges will be allowed to charge different fees. Students would probably have to pay £3,000 a year to go to the best campuses, but maybe only a third of that for less well-known institutions.

Students will be able to take out loans to cover the cost, with payment deferred until after graduation. The loans will be repaid through monthly deductions by the Inland Revenue once their earnings reach a certain threshold.

An "access regulator" is expected to be appointed to ensure that students from poorer backgrounds get into elite universities.

Maintenance grants will also return, but this is expected to be restricted to parents earning less than a joint £30,000 a year. The poorest students who qualify for maintenance allowances would receive £20 to £30 a week.

But what is the financial situation for students at the moment, before these proposed measures come into force?

Three students from Bolton Institute's Students Union have shared their experience of the financial burden of further education.

All have enjoyed their time at the Institute and agreed it was a valuable stepping stone for good careers.

Despite the fact all three worked long hours in part-time jobs on top of their studies, they are starting their working lives more than £10,000 in debt, and two of them are uncertain as to what salaries they can expect in the future.

Although all three say they were told before their courses that they would accumulate debt, the reality of being thousands of pounds in the red did not sink in until they started.

Clare Harper, aged 22, recently graduated with a 2:2 in sport and exercise science.

For two years of her three-year course, she worked at weekends at IKEA, at Warrington, earning £50. Taking her study and lecture time into account, she was working a seven-day week. She had to give up the job in her third year to concentrate on her studies.

Clare is now £11,000 in debt through student loans, which she had to take out to cover living expenses, accommodation and fees. For the second year of her course, she had to pay £300 in fees, and in her third year paid £500.

She spent her first year in halls of residence, which cost £1,700 a year. In her second year, she moved into a house which cost her £27 a week. In her third year, she moved back into halls.

Clare is now an officer at the Students Union, earning £11,100 a year and has not yet started paying off the loans. She is considering doing more studies -- which will take her into even more debt -- and is hoping to go into physiotherapy or sports rehabilitation, but does not know what sort of salary to expect.

She said: "Some of my mates who didn't go on to college are now on more money than me, and some people who were on my degree course haven't been able to find a job."

One student, who did not want to be named because of the amount of debt she is in, is in her third year of a sports science degree.

Every weekday she gets up at 5am for her part-time cleaning job from 6 am to 9.30 am, earning £4.83 an hour. Although she is a full-time student, she also works voluntarily at the union. Her packed schedule means she often does not get home until 11pm.

She has £5,000 on her credit card, £11,000 in student loans and a £1,500 overdraft. For financial reasons, she still lives at home.

She hopes to be a sports development officer earning between £14,000 and £22,000, but knows that getting the job she wants will be difficult as there are not many posts available. Chris Macleod, aged 22, president of the Students Union, has completed two years of a business degree. He has taken a year out to take up the £11,100 salaried position and will then complete the final year of his degree. He expects to leave the Institute with £11,000 in loans to repay.

He is still unsure about what he eventually wants to do but is thinking about journalism or teaching, which would mean more training. He hopes his eventual salary will be in the region of about £20,000.

All three thought the latest proposlas were elitist and would deter many youngsters from further education, especially those from lower middle class families.

Chris says: "My parents work full time so I have to pay full tuition fees -- but I don't receive help financially from home. The Government seems to expect parents to help their children through their degrees financially, but sometimes they are not always able to.

"I think it is good that grants are being introduced and up-front fees are being abolished, but the new fees would take away any gains. Students are already leaving with debts of £18,000. I don't know what it is going to be like if these plans go ahead."

The higher education shake-up has met with differing opinions from the town's MPs. Ruth Kelly, Bolton North West MP, said the White Paper's focus was on increasing university access to those from poorer backgrounds. She said the Government was listening to the wide-ranging views on the proposals.

Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South East, is against top-up fees and David Crausby, MP for Bolton North East, is "concerned" about the proposals.