Remember that queasy feeling you got from paying your tuition at the beginning of the term? Get ready once again starting May 1, 2010.

The university has proposed a two per cent increase for all domestic tuition fees and a four per cent increase for international tuition fees.

UBC has been increasing tuition fees since the provincially-instituted tuition freeze ended in 2001 following the election of the BC Liberals.

Though tuition fees have been increasing each year, some students are fine if the increase in fees will be used to better services.

“I don’t want to pay more…but if it benefits students or staff then sure,” said second-year Science student Dima Pelipeychenko.

Other students are more upset about the continuing increases. “It’s a rip-off because I’m already paying so much,” said second-year Science student Kevin Yang.

The biggest blow is to international undergraduate students, who will face a four per cent increase in their fees. This means an increase of just over $800 based on a 30-credit course load, which brings their annual tuition to $21,118.03.

The increase is usually determined after the province announces the annual tuition increase cap (which is dependent on inflation). Last year, however, the province was slow with the announcement.

“We were waiting for the province to advise what the cost of increase was—it was very late last year. This year, we [started] without it. But that does allow time for student and board consultations,” said Anne DeWolfe, executive coordinator of the UBC VP Students office.

However, if the province’s estimate is lower than two per cent, then the university plans to lower its proposed increase. If it turns out the provincial estimate is higher than two per cent, the increase will remain at two per cent.

Student fees will also stay the same. However, co-op and student exchange program fees may also be increased by two per cent.

“The two per cent…helps to cover the increasing costs of the program,” said DeWolfe. “Most of the costs for co-op exchange are staffing.”

A two per cent cost-of-living increase is being proposed for all professional and research programs as well.

Fourth-year international student and Student Senator Azim Wazeer accepts that the university has to increase tuition. “[The] university is doing what is fiscally responsible,” he said. “They are simply reflecting the true cost of education on an annual basis.”

However, Wazeer does not like that UBC has the second highest international tuition fees in Canada.

“I have no problem with the four per cent raise as a stand-alone issue,” he said, “but why our base amount is high compared to the rest of Canada doesn’t sit as well with me.”

Currently, international student fees do not fall under the provincial two per cent cap on tuition. In addition, international students do not have as many resources available for them in regards to financial aid. They are not eligible under UBC’s Policy 72, which states that “no eligible student will be prevented from commencing or continuing his or her studies at the university for financial reasons alone.”

DeWolfe said that international students are exempted from this policy for two reasons. “One, they do not qualify for Canadian domestic student loans and that is a criteria for the bursary. Two, to obtain a Visa, they must show they have the financial resources to attend university,” she said.

However, the 2010/2011 tuition proposal allocates one per cent of the four per cent increase to help increase financial awards to international students. The remaining three per cent is based on a higher education price index, which is a UBC-specific index used to measure the increasing costs of international programs and services.

UBC is conducting a student survey on the proposals from January 26 to February 9 at students.ubc.ca/tuitionconsultation. Students can visit an information table in Irving K. Barber Learning Centre from 11 to 2pm on February 5.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...