Soaring university fees hurt students

Dubai: Tuition at UAE higher education institutions are snowballing each year, claim students. While some universities have increased fees by double digits, others have frozen fees this year due to the current global economic climate.

In a recent letter to Gulf News Rafiullah Bashiri, a dentistry student at Ajman University of Science and Technology (AUST), commented: "Nowadays everybody is talking about recession but one has to point out that the university fees in the UAE have increased this year without any reason,"

Bashiri's fees for the 2008-09 academic year have increased by Dh100 per credit hour, which will bring his tuition per credit hour to Dh1,200. The student takes 20 credit hours per semester and fees amount to about Dh50,000 per annum, he said.

Thamer Saeed Salman, Vice-President of Administrative and Financial Affairs at AUST, said it was not until 2005, that AUST began to moderately increase the tuition fees.

According to figures supplied by Salman, dentistry is the most expensive course at AUST, which Bashiri is studying. Since 2005 fees per credit hour for the programme have steadily increased from Dh775 to Dh850 to Dh950 to Dh1,100 to Dh1,200 this year.

He said the increases are based on living costs, inflation and the cost of technology, equipment and infrastructure.

He also commented that the university's publications all contain a disclaimer, "which states clearly that the university reserves the right to increase the tuition fees at any time and without prior notice, so we are only abiding by the bylaws and policies of the university."

Tuition for incoming students increased by 20 per cent at the University of Wollongong in Dubai last year, UOWD vice-president of administration Raymi van der Spek told Gulf News.

However, "we do not anticipate that we would change fees at all under the current circumstances," he said. In fact, the institution has offered a 10 per cent reduction on first semester fees to all new students, if they applied and paid their tuition fee before March 31 this year.

Van der Spek said over the past five years, fees have increased between seven and eight per cent per annum."

American University of Sharjah chancellor Dr Peter Heath revealed that tuition will increase by 12 per cent next year bringing tuition up to Dh73,000 per annum.

"This will be the last year, assuming the current global economic environment continues, that we will consider double digit increases."

On a positive note, Heath said the budget for financial grants will increase from 26 per cent next year.

University of Sharjah chancellor Prof Samy Mahmoud said tuition averages at about Dh35,000 with medical colleges slightly higher and Sharia and law lower.

The university has no plans to increase fees next year. "The cost of programmes requires us to raise fees but it is only by a maximum of four or five per cent," Mahmoud said.

American University of Dubai (AUD) president, Dr Lance de Masi said the university did not increase its tuition fee this semester and that the fees "have increased over the years, but not in a systematic way".

Do you know anyone facing problems because of the increase in tuition fees at universities? What can be done to help students and parents? Fill in the form bellow to send your comments

I don't understand why people pay this much for poor quality education. An air ticket to Canada, plus housing and tuition fees will cost you about Dh50,000 a year.
Mohammad M. R.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 14:25

School Management is taking advantage of situation and increasing the fees. I wish if there is Parents body which can oversee the increase - and only let the Justifiable Increase to happen. It is true that in certain aspects - a 3% to 5% fee increase - but not 15% or like A concerned parent.
Mohammad
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 12:38

When education becomes a pure business without any value system, it is going to hurt the interests of this country. The current system is creating a population who are much below average in quality compared to so many other countries. Authorities should bring some value into education.
John Thomas
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 10:46

I'm currently a student in one of the top universities in Dubai, and one must admit it is no longer a hidden fact that the education there is based on business rather than pure so-called education. More often we're taking art-related courses without the equipment needed because they don?t have the budget for it! It brings me shame paying tons of money for non-existing - business oriented educated systems.
Najati
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 10:01

Medical colleges slightly higher than Dh35,000? I'm a student in dentistry and for this year's new students dentistry fees were Dh67,500 and for medicine students it reached 80,000! How much further do they want to increase it!! This is insane! They need to do something about the fees, how many families can pay for this every year? Dentistry courses are 6 years long and Medicine is 7 years.
From a reader
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 09:50

It is better for expatriate students to study in their own countries where better quality education at reasonable fees is provided I say that from experience.
Rahim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 09:00

Can someone put an end to this?? Can we respect knowledge?
Waleed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 08:32

It is not only universities here in the UAE, it's at the school level as well. I have two children in kindergarten, which costs more than Dh40,000 per year. Early in February I paid the last installment for the year 08/09 and I received a letter to reserve seats for my children for the next educational year by the end of February. This is unbelievable! How could people pay fees of the upcoming year 7 months in advance!
Ala Khrais
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 03:50

While universities hike tuition fees they need to remember that education is knowledge and "Knowledge is Power!" The business model adopted by the education sector faces the danger of making knowledge an exclusive reserve of the rich. That is what every nation is trying to avoid but it seems like most of these countries/ nations seem to be looking in the wrong place. Education is not just for students as it impacts on all stakeholders - students, parents and the community at large. Over to you community, do you want to change, become more knowledgeable and modernise? Well, excluding students via high tuition fees is the best recipe for killing this dream.
Nnamdi Madichie
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 08, 2009, 01:18