Studying at Wanganui Ucol next year will be more expensive for New Zealand students, with fees increasing by an average of 3.4 percent.
For international students fees remain the same as 2004.
Three computer graphic design course fees jump by $500 for New Zealand students. The Bachelor of Computer Graphic Design (Honours) and Post Graduate Diploma of Computer Graphic Design fees are now $8792 each. The Masters of Computer Graphic Design fee is now $9522.
For Bachelor of Nursing years one and two, students the fees will be $4245.15 ? an increase of $202.15. Year three students will pay $4465.65 ? an increase of $212.65.
Bachelor of Fine Arts first year students will pay a $4296.60, an increase of $204. There is no increase for year two, three and four students whose fees remain at $4867.
Bachelor of Fashion year one students' fees rise to. $4453.04, an increase of $81.04. There is no increase in the $4572 fee for year two and three students. Increases for other courses range from nil to approximately $200.
The fee increases are across all of the Palmerston North-based Ucol's campuses. Ucol chief executive Paul McElroy said yesterday increases had been kept as small as possible, but were a necessary step towards bridging the gap left by nil increases in three out of the last five years that government funding increments have failed to meet.
"Polytechnics have been hard hit by government funding decisions over the last year, such as a reduction in research funding of $500,000, and less funding for adult and community education programmes. Ucol has tried to keep the impact of these types of changes to a minimum but found that a small fee increase next year was inevitable."
Ucol fees increased last year for the first time since 2000, except for some Wanganui courses in 2001. "Fees for Ucol courses have been falling well below the CPI and Wage Index, and this increase does not bring fee levels back up with the rate of inflation," Mr McElroy said.
"We are very conscious of the costs facing students today and all tertiary organisations walk a fine line between offering affordable courses, maintaining educational quality and retaining skilled staff."
Research, he said, indicated that, despite the increase, the majority of Ucol's fees would still be below those of other similar providers.
Students struggling financially could be eligible for assistance from a hardship fund.
Ucol fees set to rise
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