SOURCE: CNA
SINGAPORE: Tertiary education is going to cost more in Singapore. The country's three universities, five polytechnics and the Institutes of Technicial Education made the announcement on Friday.
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SINGAPORE: Tertiary education is going to cost more in Singapore. The country's three universities, five polytechnics and the Institutes of Technicial Education made the announcement on Friday.
The new intake of Singapore citizens at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU)and Singapore Management University (SMU) will be forking out more in fees.
However, the fee hike will be higher for foreigners and permanent residents, in line with government policy to make a differentiation.
The incoming cohort of Singapore citizens taking undergraduate courses at the NUS and NTU will pay either four per cent or six per cent more, depending on the course they take.
At SMU, fees will go up by three per cent.
The annual tuition fees to be paid for most undergraduate courses at NUS by the incoming Singapore Citizen undergrads will increase by four per cent.
Fees for Architecture, Business, Law, Music, Nursing and Pharmacy will increase by six per cent.
This means that undergrads will pay between S$280 and S$540 more and their annual fees will now cost between S$7,170 and S$20,150.
The new fees will apply throughout their course duration.
Fees for the incoming intake of post-graduate students will be adjusted upwards by six per cent, with the exception of Nursing, which remains unchanged.
In subsequent years, the fees will be increased by three per cent each year for the remainder of their course duration.
Existing post-graduate students from earlier intakes will also be subject to a yearly three per cent increase for the remaining course duration.
The incoming cohort of permanent resident (PR) students will pay between S$480 and S$2,180 more than the existing fee rates.
And for incoming international students, they will pay between S$970 and S$3,720 more.
Over at NTU, the tuition fees for the incoming cohort of Singapore citizen undergraduates taking non-business programmes will go up by about four per cent or S$280 to S$7,170.
The incoming batch of students pursuing business programmes will pay six per cent or S$450 more at S$7,940.
The new fees will apply to the AY2011 cohort throughout their course duration.
Fees for the incoming intake of post-graduate students will go up by six per cent.
In subsequent years, their fees will go up by three per cent each year for the remaining duration of their course.
PR students will pay between S$700 and S$1,320 more and international students between S$1,140 and S$2,180 more.
Singapore's five polytechnics also said their fees will go up by 2.3 per cent to S$2,220 a year for the incoming cohort of students.
Degree courses offered by three of the polys - Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic - in collaboration with foreign institutions will cost three per cent more in the new academic year for both new and existing students.
The polys said the fees for foreign and PR students will increase by between S$480 and S$1,580. Existing PR and foreign students will also pay higher fees.
The polys say their fees for PR and foreign students remain competitive when compared with those charged by international and private schools.
Salman Zaheer, a foreign student, said: "I think it is quite unreasonable that they are increasing our fees. I mean we are already paying much higher than locals here. I think it may initiate my thought to go overseas to study as well."
Local student Praveen Raj said: "For the moment if they do it, it's OK. But if they do this continuously, then I think it's a big problem, major issue. For me, 50 dollars might be a small amount, but 50 dollars might be (another) student's one month pocket money."
The tertiary institutions say they will ensure that there are sufficient financial assistance schemes in place so that no student admitted will be denied the opportunity of an education because of financial difficulties.
A family that Channel NewsAsia spoke to had planned way ahead.
For 19-year-old Xavier Ong and his family, the fee hikes are not their main concern.
Xavier said: "To me, receiving a good education, it's the priority. So getting into a university is the main (thing) ... so a slight increase to me is all right."
As he is the only child in the family, Xavier's parents have been saving for his education since he was one year old.
Mr Ong said: "Of course if we have problems, we can still get a bank loan or use CPF. We also hope that our universities can compete globally... so foreign students will want to study here."
Xavier's mother is a full-time housewife, and his father works in food distribution.
However, the fee hike will be higher for foreigners and permanent residents, in line with government policy to make a differentiation.
The incoming cohort of Singapore citizens taking undergraduate courses at the NUS and NTU will pay either four per cent or six per cent more, depending on the course they take.
At SMU, fees will go up by three per cent.
The annual tuition fees to be paid for most undergraduate courses at NUS by the incoming Singapore Citizen undergrads will increase by four per cent.
Fees for Architecture, Business, Law, Music, Nursing and Pharmacy will increase by six per cent.
This means that undergrads will pay between S$280 and S$540 more and their annual fees will now cost between S$7,170 and S$20,150.
The new fees will apply throughout their course duration.
Fees for the incoming intake of post-graduate students will be adjusted upwards by six per cent, with the exception of Nursing, which remains unchanged.
In subsequent years, the fees will be increased by three per cent each year for the remainder of their course duration.
Existing post-graduate students from earlier intakes will also be subject to a yearly three per cent increase for the remaining course duration.
The incoming cohort of permanent resident (PR) students will pay between S$480 and S$2,180 more than the existing fee rates.
And for incoming international students, they will pay between S$970 and S$3,720 more.
Over at NTU, the tuition fees for the incoming cohort of Singapore citizen undergraduates taking non-business programmes will go up by about four per cent or S$280 to S$7,170.
The incoming batch of students pursuing business programmes will pay six per cent or S$450 more at S$7,940.
The new fees will apply to the AY2011 cohort throughout their course duration.
Fees for the incoming intake of post-graduate students will go up by six per cent.
In subsequent years, their fees will go up by three per cent each year for the remaining duration of their course.
PR students will pay between S$700 and S$1,320 more and international students between S$1,140 and S$2,180 more.
Singapore's five polytechnics also said their fees will go up by 2.3 per cent to S$2,220 a year for the incoming cohort of students.
Degree courses offered by three of the polys - Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic - in collaboration with foreign institutions will cost three per cent more in the new academic year for both new and existing students.
The polys said the fees for foreign and PR students will increase by between S$480 and S$1,580. Existing PR and foreign students will also pay higher fees.
The polys say their fees for PR and foreign students remain competitive when compared with those charged by international and private schools.
Salman Zaheer, a foreign student, said: "I think it is quite unreasonable that they are increasing our fees. I mean we are already paying much higher than locals here. I think it may initiate my thought to go overseas to study as well."
Local student Praveen Raj said: "For the moment if they do it, it's OK. But if they do this continuously, then I think it's a big problem, major issue. For me, 50 dollars might be a small amount, but 50 dollars might be (another) student's one month pocket money."
The tertiary institutions say they will ensure that there are sufficient financial assistance schemes in place so that no student admitted will be denied the opportunity of an education because of financial difficulties.
A family that Channel NewsAsia spoke to had planned way ahead.
For 19-year-old Xavier Ong and his family, the fee hikes are not their main concern.
Xavier said: "To me, receiving a good education, it's the priority. So getting into a university is the main (thing) ... so a slight increase to me is all right."
As he is the only child in the family, Xavier's parents have been saving for his education since he was one year old.
Mr Ong said: "Of course if we have problems, we can still get a bank loan or use CPF. We also hope that our universities can compete globally... so foreign students will want to study here."
Xavier's mother is a full-time housewife, and his father works in food distribution.
