Universities push to raise tuition amid financial difficulties

Universities Push To Raise Tuition Amid Financial Difficulties

People walk by the entrance of Kookmin University in Seoul, Jan. 7. Yonhap

Individuals stroll by the doorway of Kookmin College in Seoul, Jan. 7. Yonhap

By Lee Hae-rin

Regardless of the federal government’s tuition freeze coverage, not less than 13 universities in Korea have determined or are contemplating elevating undergraduate tuition charges this yr, citing monetary pressure, the federal government reported Sunday.

In accordance with the Higher Education in Korea service, a authorities web site that gives data on home universities, 19 out of 199 universities right here, excluding on-line schools, have posted the minutes of their committees’ conferences on the difficulty of undergraduate tuition charges for 2025 as of Friday.

Amongst them, 12 have determined to boost tuition or are fastidiously contemplating whether or not to take action.

Kookmin College voted on a 4.9 % enhance on Jan. 2, whereas Hanshin College and Seoul Jangsin College additionally determined to boost tuition by 5.3 % and three.6 %, respectively.

As well as, 9 universities — Sungkyunkwan College, Sookmyung Girls’s College, Yonsei College, Kyung Hee College, Hongik College, Sangmyung College, Dongduk Girls’s College, Silla College and Kyungwoon College — expressed their opinions on tuition hikes at their committee conferences.

Sogang College additionally determined to boost tuition by 4.8 % throughout a committee assembly on Dec. 26, in accordance with the college.

As universities usually vote on tuition charges for the upcoming college yr on the finish of January, a number of others are believed to have already began contemplating tuition hikes.

A poster written by a Yonsei University student demanding the university withdraw its plan to raise tuition fees hangs at the school campus in Seoul, Jan. 8. Yonhap

A poster written by a Yonsei College scholar demanding the college withdraw its plan to boost tuition charges hangs on the college campus in Seoul, Jan. 8. Yonhap

The federal government has stored college tuitions frozen since 2009.

Deputy Prime Minister and Schooling Minister Lee Ju-ho despatched a letter to school presidents throughout the nation final month, asking them to freeze tuition charges this yr to ease the monetary burden on college students.

In step with the coverage pattern, most universities haven’t raised tuition charges for over a decade. Authorities sanctions additionally performed a component on this, as universities that hiked tuition have been exempted from receiving assist for sort II state scholarships.

Nevertheless, personal universities have been refusing to adjust to the freeze currently because of rising monetary difficulties.

In accordance with the Korean Council for College Schooling, 19 universities in 2023 and 26 universities in 2024 raised tuition.

Whereas smaller universities started forgoing authorities monetary assist in favor of tuition hikes final yr, main personal universities in Seoul at the moment are becoming a member of the pattern this yr.

In the meantime, the federal government continues asking universities to hitch its efforts to ease tuition burdens.

The Ministry of Schooling held a video convention, Jan. 8, with the presidential council of the nationwide universities and repeated its name for a tuition freeze. In response, 9 nationwide universities selected Jan. 10 to not hike tuition.

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