Cuts of up to £100 million a year to shorter courses and second degrees could spell a huge increase in the cost of education

The funds are being diverted towards first degrees to create an additional 20,000 places for undergraduates in the UK.

Ministers have announced that funding first degrees is a "higher priority" than second degrees. Around 170,000 part-time students and those studying shorter full-time courses will be affected by the cuts when they come into force in September.

A main establishment to be hit by the cuts is the Open University, who are set to lose £30 million, and Oxford University at £4 million. As a result of the cuts, UK students will have to pay the same amount of fees as overseas students, starting at £7,000.

The director of Oxford’s department for continuing education claimed that the government is risking "driving away students who can't afford degrees"; the Government has claimed that it has the right to limit funding for those that already have degrees, claiming that "for the tax payer, funding people for a first degree has to be a higher priority than supporting those studying for a second degree".