The UK government set a flat international‑student levy and confirmed tuition‑fee increases that will push the headline cap above £10,000 by 2027‑28 while pledging targeted maintenance grants for lower‑income students. Ministers fixed the levy at £925 per international student from August 2028 and signalled that proceeds will fund reinstated maintenance grants worth £1,000 a year for eligible students from 2028‑29, restricted to priority subjects aligned with industrial strategy. The package aims to shore up public finances and restore limited grant aid, but sector bodies warn the levy and rising fees will hit cash‑strapped providers unevenly and could prompt fee increases passed on to students. University finance officers and registrars must now rework models around new revenue flows, exemptions for small providers and planned ring‑fencing of levy income to support targeted student support programs.