The Open University enrollments for undergraduate courses have dropped from a peak in 2009/10 of 209,705 to the latest published figure of 121,395 in 2016/17. According to The Guardian, this was caused mainly by the government. In 2012 it allowed fees for part-time degrees to rise to £6,750 per year, whilst severely limiting maintenance grants for students. Part-time courses at traditional universities in the U.K. have also suffered a drop in enrollment.