Law students at the University of Manitoba have voted to nearly double tuition charged at their school, but only for incoming students.

"They voted for an increase, but the voters managed to escape it," Ian Boyko, national chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Student told The National Post. "It's about as bad an example of operating in bad faith as you'll see on a university campus. I have a strong feeling they wouldn't have voted for an increase for themselves."

The proposed 91 per cent tuition hike, to be phased in over a three-year period, has been approved by the university administration and the province's NDP government.

Kevin Toyne, president of the Manitoba Law Students Association, defended the vote to increase fees, saying new students will know what to expect and that it would be unfair to ask current students to pay for a sudden and unexpected increase in tuition.

Diane McGifford, Manitoba's Minister of Advanced Education, said her government approved the fee increase because of the support from students and the university's promise to dedicate 30 per cent of increased fee revenues to student aid.

"The dean of law guaranteed that any student accepted in the faculty by virtue of academic performance will not be rejected because of lack of money," McGifford said.

Currently, law students at Manitoba pay about $4,400 per year.