NEWS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS BEING SHAFTED By Emily Heyward (she/her)
The University of Canterbury has rolled out its new study pathway ‘Start online, Finish on-campus,’ where, as the name suggests, international students can begin their study at UC online, from their homes overseas, and all going well, complete their degrees on campus when the borders re-open. About 100 students have enrolled in the new programme, paying upwards of $28,000 per year to study towards a degree. But many students reckon it’s daylight robbery. 90 per cent of those who voted in a poll on the UCSA Noticeboard – which asked whether people thought it was fair or not to charge international students the same price to study online from abroad as international students on campus – thought it was too steep. One person said they didn’t think it was fair at all. “What justification be provided when it’s the same material for everybody?” Another appeared quite angry, shouting UNFAIR in caps lock into their keyboard, saying online study doesn’t offer the same benefits as being on campus. “Unless you’re on campus, you should pay local costs. Hell, it should even be cheaper, as online study has a lot of drawbacks. Sadly, these institutions are wanting more money as they’re a business.” Another echoed that, saying, “I think a drop in tuition fees would be fair, but at the end of the day, university is a business that sells expensive education. I don’t know if they’d be overly keen on losing more cash flow than they already have.” Someone else said it “makes more money for our University which is invested back into us and those are pretty standard
international fees for NZ and Ozzy I’m pre sure. If they are studying here remotely and are willing to pay it, clearly, they consider it worth the value.” University of Canterbury director of recruitment and international, Tracey Wilson, said while international students studying online were being charged the same as those on campus, it was more expensive for the University to deliver courses online. “The cost of delivery online is actually higher than on-campus due to the wrap-around programmes that go with them. These include a mentoring programme and a separate orientation programme that has been provided,” she said. Tracey said students were enrolled in a range of degree programmes, including Arts, Science, and Engineering, and were joining from many countries, including China, the United States and India. While about 100 international students have enrolled in the pathway, she said final numbers would be confirmed in midApril, once the course withdrawal period ends. Meanwhile, from April, some international students who were already studying at UC and were caught overseas when border restrictions began last year will start returning to campus. In January, the Government announced that it would allow 1,000 international tertiary students, studying towards a degree, or higher, to return to Aotearoa, 82 of whom are UC students.
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