The maximum university tuition fee in Wales will remain at £9,000 after plans to raise it by £295 were scrapped by the Welsh Government.
Welsh Education Secretary Kirsty Williams AM has also confirmed that graduates will start to repay their loans once they start earning £25,000 – raising the level from £21,000.
The UK Government earlier this month said it would freeze the maximum fees that can be paid in England to £9,250. Prime Minister Theresa May also raised the repayment threshold to £25,000.
Ms Williams said: “I will not allow the political turmoil and uncertainty in England to knock us off course from delivering on a stable and sustainable higher education system in Wales.
“Our sector does not operate in isolation and we must provide stability for our institutions to compete both domestically and internationally.
“Given the uncertain political climate in England I have carefully considered our future plans for tuition fee levels. After consulting with our universities and the National Union of Students, the maximum tuition fee will remain at £9,000. We are also on track to deliver the most equitable and progressive student support system in the UK, starting next academic year.
“Unlike the government across the border, we are delivering investment to support both students and universities as part of these changes.
“I also remain concerned about the rate of interest charged to students whilst they study and I will continue to discuss this with counterparts in Whitehall.”
The Welsh Conservative’s Shadow Education Secretary Darren Millar AM, welcomed the reversal.
He said: “Welsh Labour’s original plans to hike the maximum fees chargeable by £295 would have seen students studying in Wales paying more for their tuition than anywhere else in the UK, despite election promises to wipe them altogether.
“Given the gap in attainment between England and Wales perhaps the Cabinet Secretary should follow the UK Government’s lead more often.”
Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Llyr Gruffydd AM, said: “We have been the only party united and consistent in our opposition to forcing students to pay more for their higher education.
“While this is a positive move, the reality is that the Labour Welsh Government never should have even considered a rise which made its policy as punitive as that of the Tories in Westminster.”