Dominic Evans is a first year student at the University of Regina, who is experiencing the results of the increase in tuition fees.
“I’m four years behind,” said Evans. “I have been working full time ever since high school to make the transition.”
The University of Regina has increased its tuition fees by almost four percent, during the new fall semester. However, it is said that this increase in fees was forced upon the university. Some of the factors were flat domestic enrollments, a decrease in international students, and of course the ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States.
International students are seen to be struggling the most with the increases in fees. During a media conference last year, the president and vice-chancellor of the University of Regina, Jeff Keshen exclaims that there has been a 59 percent drop in international students starting last year.
Essentially, the number of international students went from around 4500 to 3000 students ever since the increase.
Keshen said, “that’s mainly due to what’s been a real glacial pace of processing by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).” With the changes of IRCC reducing the amount of study permits, international students are no longer willing to study in Canada for fear of rejection.
These changes have caused universities and colleges across Canada to lose millions of dollars in revenue.
Students are expressing their frustrations when it comes to the increase in fees. Add that frustration to the high cost of living on campus, the prices of textbooks, and essentials like groceries. Overall students are struggling to keep up with the constant increases.
For a University of Regina arts student who is taking five classes tuition will now be above $15,000. For a science student taking five classes their tuition will now increase from $16,000. In total, amount of cost based on the U of R’s website for around ten classes including housing, textbooks, and necessities like groceries, students will be spending over $47,000 per year.
Students have said that they are dropping classes to work more, slowing down their progress of graduating at a specific time.
“Everything is more expensive,” said Evans. “I have been working full time since high school for the last four years to save money, which slowed down everything.”
Makayla Wickstrom is a third year student at the University of Regina who has also claimed that she had to drop a class and add more hours to her job to make ends meet with her education.
Saskatchewan Student Loans has not yet commented on the tuition increase, besides offering loans and grants to help with the increasing costs. As well as suggesting students to apply for scholarships if they can.
The University of Regina had posted on their website that they are aware of the increases for tuition fees and that they are making every effort they can to try and limit the majority of costs to try and make post-secondary education affordable. This included both domestic and international students.
