The University of British Columbia (UBC) is set to raise tuition fees for both domestic and international students starting in May. In an email addressed to students on Wednesday, Rella Ng, the associate vice-president of enrolment services and registrar, announced a two percent increase for all domestic students, while international students will face hikes ranging from two to five percent compared to the 2023/2024 academic year. These adjustments will come into effect on May 1, 2024, impacting students at UBC’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
The tuition increase for international students will vary, with a five percent hike applying to certain new incoming students, while continuing international students will experience a three percent rise. As per a UBC report, in the 2023/2024 academic year, international students studying for a bachelor of arts paid $45,000 annually, notably higher than counterparts at Simon Fraser University ($33,000) and the University of Victoria ($30,000). The tuition for first-year international students is expected to rise to $47,250 for the 2024/2025 academic year. Conversely, domestic students paid $5,900 for the same programs in the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in the 2023/2024 academic year, lower than SFU and UVic’s equivalent programs.
UVic is planning to increase international tuition fees by between five and 6.75 percent, while SFU is contemplating a four percent hike for international students. UBC’s fee adjustments are anticipated to generate an additional $27 million in the upcoming academic year.
According to data from the B.C. government, there were 176,160 international students in post-secondary institutions during the 2021-22 period. Among them, 81,545 were enrolled in public post-secondary schools, while 94,615 attended private post-secondary institutions.
The federal government has announced a two-year cap on international undergraduate students, addressing the national housing crisis and concerns about the treatment of international students in private schools.
Source: Vancouver Sun
