THE cap on university tuition fees was effectively abolished yesterday by George Osborne, paving the way for another huge rise.

The Tory Chancellor announced that some universities will be be able to charge more than £9,000 a year from next year.

He said: “We’ll link the student fee cap to inflation for those institutions that can show they offer high-quality teaching.”

The surprise measure, which the Chancellor said would “ensure our university system is sustainable,” will allow tuition fees to creep up without any vote in Parliament.

It comes a week after new Tory Universities Minister Jo Johnson refused to rule out raising tuition fees for the second time in five years.

Responding to the Budget, University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt warned: “Any further increase in the cost of tuition fees, as proposed by the Chancellor, risks putting off many of those who would benefit most from university.”

Mr Osborne also confirmed leaked reports that he would abolish maintenance grants for poor students.

Currently, students in England and Wales from families with an income of £25,000 or less receive £3,387 a year.

They will now be forced to take out loans to cover travel, accommodation and study costs. The maximum amount that can be borrowed was raised to £8,200.

Ms Hunt said the move would be a “disincentive” for poor students go to university — and leave the taxpayer to pick up the cost of unpaid loans.

The Tories could now face student protests similar in scale to 2011 ahead of the vote on the trebling of tuition fees.

Student groups had already called a national demonstration against fees for November 4.

The National Union of Students (NUS) could be forced to throw its weight behind the protest, with a vote on whether to endorse the action scheduled for July 20.

Executive member James Elliott told the Star: “These announcements will mean a lot more people will turn out for that demonstration.

“Hopefully teh NUS has learned its lesson and will try to be at the forefront of organising large-scale direct action and mobilisations.”