Chinese universities squeeze new students with tuition increases
- Some public schools raising rates by over 50 per cent as higher enrolment, budget cuts prompt fee jumps
- Though still low compared with private and international peers, new rates heighten uncertainty in already strained economic environment
Universities from Shanghai, Sichuan, Jilin, Shandong and other provinces announced tuition increases for new students, with spikes ranging from 10 to 54 per cent.
Shanghai-based East China University of Science and Technology raised fees by 54 per cent to 7,700 yuan (US$1,095) per academic year for new students in science, engineering and athletics – one of the highest rises in the country – and tuition for liberal arts students was raised by 30 per cent for the equivalent period.
The rate for the former group is equivalent to about 15 per cent of the average national income. However, the same figure accounts for 38.5 per cent of the average income for rural residents.
“It is not surprising that tuition fees are increasing,” said Zhou Mansheng, deputy director of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy.
Zhou, also an adviser to the country’s Ministry of Education, mentioned Chinese universities operate on a cost-sharing basis, which requires students to bear a portion of any increase.
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