Firm to pay university tuition fees - graduate jobs

Students looking to graduate with a degree in accountancy at Durham University have been offered the chance to complete their course without having to pay any tuition fees.

KPMG said it will cover the tuition expenses of 35 students who will be offered a starting salary of £20,000 at the firm's Newcastle office once they graduate.

Senior partner Mick Thompson said the move will help make degrees and professional qualifications "available to a broader socio-economic group" as more students from poorer backgrounds will be able to afford the experience of higher education.

In contrast to the increasing struggle many university students now face in order to pay the costs of their education, it has been revealed that many of their vice-chancellors are earning more than £250,000.

A spokesman for the University of Leeds, which was one of those named in the report focusing on the Yorkshire region, said its committee takes account of a "range of factors" when determining salaries.