Stormont officials have been asked to examine the revenue-raising potential of increasing university student fees in Northern Ireland to £7,000.
It comes as the Department for the Economy faces making 16% cuts to services due to a funding deficit of £130 million.
The department, which is responsible for skills, further education, higher education, tourism and economic development, has warned that a number of sectors will be affected by cuts. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris recently set a budget for the region in the absence of devolved ministers at Stormont.
