A BOLTON MP fears the University of Bolton will be forced to “sink or swim” by the Government.

While the University of Bolton is in a good state financially now, Bolton West MP Julie Hilling fears a dramatic downturn in students — because of a hike in tuition fees — could lead to it struggling in the future.

Last week, Universities Minister David Willetts announced the cap on tuition fees will be raised from £3,290 to £6,000 with a higher threshold of £9,000 in “exceptional circumstances”.

Ms Hilling said: “I think the worry for a university like Bolton, which takes a lot of students from poorer backgrounds and from ethnic minorities, is that young people will not be able to afford to go to there.

“We know the elite universities are probably going to be charging the full £9,000 per year but the fees will see some increase everywhere because the Government is taking away funding and effectively forcing students to make up the difference.

“The Government has already said that universities will have to sink or swim financially and that could be bad news.

“I know it is in a good position now but we do not know what the future holds.”

Ms Hilling, who has challenged the Government on a number of occasions over the increase on tuition fees, said she also feared the hard work being done in Bolton, by creating what is effectively a “knowledge quarter” around the university, was being undermined.

She added: “We risk losing the talent that we have here in Bolton.

“A lot of work has gone into putting the sixth form college and the higher education college next to the university but that work is being undermined by the actions of the coalition Government.”

And Bolton North East MP David Crausby has also spoken out against the Government’s new plan for university tuition fees.

He is concerned that student loans will also now have an above inflation level of interest and will be repaid once students are earning £21,000 or more by contributing nine per cent of their income.

Mr Crausby said: “This debt will stay with graduates throughout their life.

“Most will still be paying nine per cent of their income in repayments while in their 50s.

“The possibility for elite universities like Oxford and Cambridge to charge even higher fees only serves to make them more exclusive and discourage people from poorer backgrounds.

“Education is a right, not a privilege; those who are most academically able should go the furthest not those most able to pay debts.”

Professor Peter Marsh, the University of Bolton’s deputy vice chancellor, said he was disappointed with the rise, which will come into effect from 2012.

He said: “We are committed to social inclusion and will work as best we can, within the new guidelines, to ensure we provide a fair system to prospective students.”