Proposed rises in tuition fees triggered student protests across Britain Thousands of university students from disadvantaged backgrounds could have their tuition fees paid for free for up to two years, ministers have proposed.
A government source said any student eligible for free school meals could get their tuition fees paid for a year.
And universities which charge more than £6,000 a year could be forced to pay such students’ fees for a further year.
Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused the government of “cultural vandalism” over its planned rise in tuition fees.
The government believes up to 18,000 students a year could benefit from the new proposals – significantly increasing the numbers of children from poorer families going on to higher education.
Cash for the scheme would come from the £150m National Scholarship Programme already announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Ministers will meet student representatives next week to consult them on the plans, which have strong backing from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
He is understood to believe that students who received a year’s free tuition are not only more likely to go to university, but also to aspire to Oxbridge places.
Vince Cable said the Lib Dems would decide together which way to vote Free school meals are available to families claiming certain benefits and are given to around 80,000 pupils in each school year.
The Lib Dems have come under intense pressure from students after promising to abolish tuition fees in their election manifesto – and with Mr Clegg signing a pre-election pledge to vote against any rise.
There has been a recent wave of student demonstrations at Westminster and around the country by those opposing the rise.
The coalition government has proposed increasing the fees cap from £3,375 to £9,000 from 2013.
MPs will vote on Thursday, with Lib Dem sources saying it was still unclear which way their 57 members would vote.
Mr Clegg told the Independent on Sunday he wanted everyone to vote for the rise, “but we are not there yet”.
“It’s immensely frustrating to me to see a policy which lowers barriers of entry to university being portrayed as putting up barriers,” he told the paper.
He added: “I believe in this policy. I really think we will look back in 10 or 15 years’ time and think, actually that was quite a brave and bold and socially progressive thing to do.”
And he accused the National Union of Students of “not being straight” about its own support for the graduate tax option.
Days ahead of the vote, Labour leader Ed Miliband also took the opportunity to make his position on the issue clear.
Mr Miliband said the plans to increase fees would set back the cause of social mobility by a generation by persuading youngsters from poor families not to go to university.
Writing in the Observer, he said: “The proposals amount to a rejection of the long-standing recognition of our collective responsibility for higher education.
“Make no mistake – if this bill is voted through on Thursday, the government will deal a cruel blow to the chances of the next generation and betray the hopes of our young people.”
The proposed increase does not apply in Scotland nor for students resident in Wales, wherever they chose to go on to study in the UK.
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