All English universities plan to charge tuition fees above the lower threshold of £6000 from autumn 2012, and nearly three quarters intend to charge £9000 for some courses, information from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) shows.

Cambridge University, which announced relatively early that it planned to charge £9000, will be joined by 47 universities who plan to charge a flat rate of the full £9000.

Last month the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, sent a letter to alumni to justify the charge, after bitter opposition from academics and students.

Universities that intend to charge over £6000 have had to submit access agreements to OFFA today.

The watchdog must then decide whether universities proposals to ensure disadvantaged students are not discouraged from applying, and whether they can charge above the lower threshold.

The figures will be embarrassing for the government, after David Willetts promised that £9000 fees would be exceptional.

However, Tim Farron, the Lib Dem president, insisted, “I can promise you they will not all be allowed. I suspect the majority will not be allowed”.