The steep rise in tuition that is set to take effect at most universities in England next year could deter significant numbers of young people from higher education, according to a new report. The report, from the Centre for the Economics of Education at the London School of Economics and Political Science, says that the new maximum tuition rate of £9,000, or $14,375, could result in a drop of 7.51 percent for males and 4.92 percent for females  entering higher-education institutions.

Although previous tuition increases have not decreased demand for higher education, the report identifies a threshold above which “the higher-education system would experience an adverse impact on the demand for university places.” That figure is approximately £3,315, or $5,300, for men and £4,610, or $7,360, for women. A spokesman for the government department that oversees universities said that the research was flawed because “the researchers state explicitly that they have assumed no changes to grants and loans,” whereas the government is increasing such sources of financial aid, “as well as introducing a much more progressive repayment system,” The Guardian reports.