9. How much would the standard bursary cost and who should pay for it?

It is difficult to estimate the total cost of introducing the new bursary system. One private news agency in Wellington has estimated the cost at around $17 million on top of the costs of the present bursary system. This figure is close to independent estimates made by NZUSA.

Some people have argued that the government could finance the introduction of the new bursary system in part by taxing corporations and professional firms which benefit directly from tertiary education.