NZ's tuition fees seventh-highest in OECD

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Fri, 16 Sep 2011 6:03a.m.

Students in Auckland

Students in Auckland

Students raising their eyebrows over the cost of university fees aren't alone.

A new report has found New Zealand has some of the highest fees in the world. 

The OECD's latest edition of Education at a Glance reviewed education in 42 countries.

It found New Zealand had the seventh-most expensive tuition fees, at an average of more than $3600 a year.

The most expensive countries were the United States, Japan, Korea and the UK.

The US charges an average of $7300 a year.

"This is the trade-off between how much we feel students should contribute to their own education and how much we're prepared as taxpayers and as a Government to put into those institutions," says Tertiary Education Union president Dr Sandra Grey.

New Zealand also has the fourth-highest entry levels of tertiary education.

"We've had a big push in New Zealand for what is loosely called a mass tertiary market model which is the right of open entry so people do, if they want, have the opportunity to study," Dr Grey told the New Zealand Herald.

The 10 most expensive places to study in the world are:

1. United States
2. Korea
3. UK
4. Japan
5. Australia
6. Canada
7. New Zealand
8. Netherlands
9. Portugal
10. Italy

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Comments

16 Sep 2011 01:22p.m.

Judy wrote:

If the $3600 is true, then that's a great deal, but I don't believe it and wonder whether we're comparing apples with apples. I think this figure has been arrived at by including the free entry courses given by tertiary education providers which are really only at secondary school level. For example, my daughter is currently doing Te Reo Level 2 at the Whanganui Te Wananga o Aotearoa which is a free course. Is this counted? Previously she has completed a Diploma of Social Work and a Bachelor of Social Work and the course fees were well above your average. I'd believe your story if it had more detail about what courses are included and how this compares with other countries. I'd expect that it didn't include any NCEA courses such as my daughter is doing.

16 Sep 2011 11:15a.m.

Ricardo wrote:

We need a system whereby those with NZ Passports pay their fees and get them refunded each year if they pass the exams. If they fail, they continue to owe the money. That way any Kiwis with potential get a free uni education.

16 Sep 2011 10:55a.m.

Michele wrote:

$3600 a year?!?!? Where are you studying? I'm at Unitec and it is $5500.00 per year. I'm happy to pay it, I wanted to learn this stuff - and I expect a quality delivery of that education. What I don't like, is that a heap of that is for Student Union - about $70 per course paper, which as an adult student, is a complete and utter waste of my money - compulsory though, so they can give out free sausages once a week. Sort of like a compulsory social club. Painful.