STUDENTS in Bournemouth say they are being put through "mental stress" due to an increase in fees.

UK students will have to pay more for universities from next year following the Government announcement that undergraduate courses can rise to £9,535 a year.

This is an increase of £285 on the fees, which have been frozen at a maximum of £9,250 since 2017.

Callum Vellosa, 18, moved from London to study in Bournemouth two years ago, and is currently pursuing a law degree.

He told the Echo: “From being a child and living at home to moving away for university degrees, having to worry about money at this early age, this is putting a student like me through a lot of mental stress.

"And now, increase in university fees are going to put more pressure on students.

“I do think it disheartens a lot of people. A lot of students are quite upset because they look forward to university. They are going to be more worried about the financial aspect of degrees now.”

According to the Government, maintenance loans and tuition fees in England changed in line with inflation to help ensure the financial stability of the university sector.

The changes announced on Monday will affect students starting university next year, as well as current students - although universities can have contracts that protect their students from fee hikes part-way through a course.

Eleanor Briars, 20, a student from Arts University Bournemouth, said fee hikes worry her because living costs and rent are already “very high”.

Eleanor is studying undergraduate in visual communication and is currently in her second year. After studying in Bournemouth for two years, Eleanor is still looking for a part-time job which is difficult to find. She said: “I have tried to look for one and there is none. I hope the government sees it's a massive issue as the fees are going up.”

National Union of Students vice president of higher education Alex Stanley said: "This money will make a real difference to the poorest students and is a testament to the hard work of student campaigners over the past three years: right now, students are left with 50p per week to live on after rent and bills.”

Esther Isiah, president of the students’ union at Bournemouth University, said: “For prospective Undergraduate students, this could also lead them to question whether university is the best choice when there are other pathways available, potentially leading to a continuous decline of people applying for a place at university."