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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 22. September 10 1979

Looking a fees increases — the overseas students' dilemma

Looking a fees increases — the overseas students' dilemma

In Britain.

18,000 Malaysian students studying in the England, in Government funded institutions, will have to pay another additional 20% in tuition fees from September. This is the second fees increase in 1979. In Januaury, fees for overseas students have raised by 13%. The September fees increase means overseas students will have to pay $4,324 instead of $3,369 in tuition fees. This will net an additional $28.2 million to Britain's coffers between July and April next year. Yet the Department of Education commented that it is still 60 percent below actual full economic cost which is borne by the Government.

The Conservative British Government plans to withdraw subsidies for foreign students which, if carried out, would add another 15% to the 1979-80 charges. This would make fees for 1980-81 around $15,000 for post-graduate students, $11,750 for undergraduates and $6,500 for full-time attendance at sub-degree courses.

Following this announcement, overseas student organisations in Britain promised strong opposition to the British Government proposals to charge overseas students the full cost of their courses. 3 major organisations involved in overseas student welfare — the National Union of Students, United Kingdom Council for Overseas Student Affairs and World University Service in their joint statement pointed out

(1)the government had plundered six million pounds this year from overseas students with the 33 percent increase announced.
(2)Such moves will be regarded as renegading on British's responsibility to the Commonwealth, the third world and EEC and the refugee students.
(3)The basis of government calculation of one hundred million pounds a year subsidy was extremely suspect. The figure ignored clear evidence of major foreign exchange earnings as well as academic benefits that stemmed from the presence of foreign students.
(4)If Government plans to go ahead charging overseas students the full cost, it would be met with strong opposition from students, academics, administrators, trade unionists and foreign governments.

Latest news: According to informed sources, non-subsidized fees would be charged only to new students entering university, poly-technic and colleges from 1981 onwards.