The university said the decision to charge the maximum amount allowed had been ratified yesterday by Surrey¡¯s governing council and would be accompanied by a package of fee waivers and bursaries to support poorer students.

Christopher Snowden, vice-chancellor, said the university had considered the 60 per cent cut to the university¡¯s teaching grant and uncertainty over the future of the international student market when making the decision.

Surrey becomes the latest member of the 1994 Group of small research-intensive universities to publicly propose charging ?9,000, following decisions by universities of Exeter and Durham.

High-profile members of the Russell Group of large research-intensive institutions have also declared their hand, with Imperial College London, and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge all proposing to charge the maximum amount.

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Professor Snowden said: ¡°Changes to our fee levels reflect the government¡¯s decision to make substantial cuts in both annual teaching grants and capital grants.

¡°We have to accommodate a cut of over 60 per cent in our annual government teaching grant and in addition a 70 per cent cut in our annual government capital teaching grant, whilst supporting students from low-income families as part of our access programme.

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¡°There are also uncertainties about the impact of proposed immigration policy, which, if implemented, are very likely to reduce the number of international students studying at UK universities.

¡°Finally, uncertainty over the future allocation of student places and concern over the exact level of the remaining [state] funding for science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects has added additional risk to the teaching income for UK universities,¡± Professor Snowden said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com