UNIVERSITY students from Wales will be eligible for up to £11,250 in financial support from September 2018 under a revamp of student funding announced by the Welsh Government.

But tuition fees will also go up in line with inflation until at least 2021 as part of the revamp announced yesterday, Tuesday.

Opposition parties and the National Union of Students (NUS) have said this flies in the face of Labour's pre-General Election commitment to scrap tuition fees.

Under the new arrangements, which will come into force in the 2018-2019 academic year, every student from Wales will receive at least £1,000, with up to £8,100 more available to students in the UK and £10,250 for those in London depending on household income.

The Welsh Government has said this means every student will receive the equivalent of the national living wage, and estimates have suggested a third of full-time students from Wales will be eligible for the full grant.

Announcing the changes, Wales' education secretary Kirsty Williams said: "It is now widely recognised that high living costs are the greatest barrier to young people studying at university.

"Our new progressive system is a fundamental shift in the way we support students and our institutions.

"By investing in the success of full-time, part-time and post-graduate students, Wales will be the only country in Europe to have taken this huge step forward."

On the changes to fee arrangements, which reinstates arrangements previously in force before 2012, Ms Williams added: "Wales needs a stable and sustainable higher education sector that delivers for our communities and economy.

"Our universities must be able to compete domestically and internationally. Jobs, prosperity and national well-being depend on it.

"We will address the real-terms reduction in the value of fee levels by once again linking them to inflation for the next three years.

"I can confirm that they will continue to be paid for through a publicly supported loan system and only repaid after graduation, linked to income-levels."

But the Welsh branch of the NUS has blasted the plans, claiming it will mean students will pay up to £9,295 a year in fees from September 2018.

NUS Wales president Ellen Jones said she was "extremely angry" about the move.

"No matter what the Welsh Government says, today’s announcement makes the mission of getting students into higher education harder, not easier," she said.

She added: "We understand that budgets are under pressure as a result of the UK Government’s regressive approach to public spending. But where the axe falls is up to the Welsh Government.

"I cannot stand the fact that students are being used to shoulder this particular burden."

Plaid Cymru also criticised the plan, with education spokesman Llyr Gruffydd saying: "It’s hugely disappointing that the government is increasing the burden of debt on students."

The new arrangements will also apply to part-time students. A revamp of postgraduate finance will come into force in 2019.