A new £40m campus was opened in Newport last year Newport has become the fifth university in Wales to set its fees at the maximum £9,000 per year for some courses.
It will charge £8,250 for others and said it had done everything possible to keep its fees down but that the extra income would widen access.
It follows Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Bangor and Glamorgan.
Students from Wales will receive a grant to cover the increase but their leaders said they were extremely disappointed by the fees figures.
Five more universities in Wales have yet to declare as the deadline for submitting fees plans to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) passed on Tuesday.
Newport said its decision to propose two rates reflected the difference in the cost of providing courses.
Vice Chancellor Dr Peter Noyes said: “In announcing these fee plans the university has considered every single option available to us.
“We already recruit large numbers of students from some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Wales”
Dr Peter Noyes University of Wales Newport
“Increasing the cost of study for our future students is not something we do with any relish but is the only option available to us in the situation that we find ourselves in.”
Under the terms of the new student finance settlement universities are expected to spend at least 30% of all income over £4,000 per student on widening access to higher education and promoting an improved student experience.
Dr Noyes added: “”HEFCW have indicated that those institutions better able to meet the Welsh Government’s widening participation agenda will be more justified in charging higher fees.
“Newport already has a terrific track-record in widening participation. We already recruit large numbers of students from some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Wales.
“I can’t still get my head around paying £9000 a year for a course”
Katie Dalton National Union of Students
The cost to Welsh students will be £3,400 no matter which university they attend with the Welsh Government paying the difference.
Katie Dalton, president of the National Union of Students, said it was “extremely disappointing”.
“I think that 12 months ago if we thought about half universities in Wales announced already they’re charging £9,000 people wouldn’t have believed it.
“I can’t still get my head around paying £9,000 a year for a course and I think that many people out there can’t as well.”
She said it was vital the Welsh Government continued to subsidise the fees.
“They need to make sure that the tuition fee grant does remain in place in future so the Welsh students don’t have to pay more.”
HEFCW said it would look at every university’s plans to increase the fees from 2012.
“These plans will detail investments they intend to make using a proportion of this new income in order to encourage equality of access and promote higher education.
“All plans must be agreed by HEFCW before the new fees can be charged. The announcement on their acceptance or rejection will be made on 11 July 2011.”
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