BEIJING: Chinese universities are drastically raising tuition fees this year, with some making their first increases in two decades.
The financial institutions seem hurt by a reduced national budget for education and tight local government finances.
According to Reuters, the higher fees come amid a financial crunch among local governments after three years of disruptive covid-19 policies, property issues and a sluggish economy. Chinese universities, almost all public, rely heavily on state funding.
Shanghai-based East China University of Science and Technology raised tuition fees by 54 per cent to 7,700 yuan annually for some freshmen majoring in science, physical education and engineering by 30 per cent in the liberal arts.
Tuition for science and engineering rose by 40 at Shanghai Dianji University, while students majoring in economics, management, and literature will have to pay 30 per cent more compared with a year earlier, according to a notice on Monday.
In April, the financial hub of Shanghai decided after the public hearing to increase tuition – unchanged for over 20 years – for the academic year starting this autumn.
According to local government statements, China’s densely populated southwestern Sichuan and northeastern Jilin provinces increased tuition for different majors, with a maximum increase of as much as 41 per cent in Sichuan.
According to a budget report from the ministry the education ministry’s expected budget expenditure for tertiary education in 2023 fell 3.7 per cent to 102.6 billion yuan from last year.
A research team led by education experts last month also called for an extensive rise in university tuition for international students, according to a study by Beijing Institute of Technology professor Liu Jin.
The study suggested increasing tuition fees for international students to as much as 110,000 yuan per year from about 20,000 yuan.
