Multiple students brought forward concerns about international tuition fees. Preliminary research has found that moderate tuition increases were approved for international master’s programs in the spring and Western University has decided to maintain these approved tuition commitments. A key exception is that the Master’s of Engineering degree was approved a 15% increase.
The response from the university has primarily been to emphasize that tuition rates are proposed by faculties. Additionally, the university has committed an additional $13.5 million of financial support through “needs-based bursaries, work-study opportunities, summer research opportunities, and residence accommodation subsidies.”
These responses remain frustrating given the precarity our international students face. These responses are, nonetheless, understandable given the complexity of university affairs and the number of units involved in budgeting processes.
We’ve identified the following next steps:
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- Reach out to Engineering to get additional information;
- Collaborate with SGPS to promote, and improve, subsidies and bursaries;
- Identify/research responses at other universities;
- Advocate through governmental and student advocacy contacts (e.g. CFS); and,
- Review, confirm, and strengthen our own supports.
Additional suggestions and/or concerns are welcome at president@sogs.ca.
If you would like to learn more, please see our attached preliminary report here.
In solidarity,
kirstyn seanor
SOGS President
Quick link to the report: https://tinyurl.com/SOGS-Intl-Tuition-Report