A fair deal for international students

Media Release 7 September 2004

Massey University commits to a fair deal for international students

At its September meeting the Massey University council confirmed that a grandparenting fees policy for International students has been implemented at Massey University. This policy will mean that all current and future international students will not encounter fee rises as long as they finish their studies within the required timeframe of their qualification.

“This policy shows Massey’s continued commitment to providing a fair deal to international students” said Adam Maynard, President of the Massey University Students’ Association and Student Member of the Massey University Council.

“Many International students pay fees for their entire course upfront with the expectation that this will cover them for the rest of their studies” said Maynard. International students find themselves in real financial strife when their institutions increase their fees and suddenly they need an extra thousand dollars to cover the shortfall.”

“Many people assume that International students are well off and can afford to cover the costs of fee increases, yet a number of International students have borrowed from friends and familles or use their only savings to cover their fees and when faced with these sudden increases have no-one to turn to and are often forced to drop out” said Ko Shun Lee, International Students Officer at the Massey University Students’ Association

Students at Waikato University are still fighting to see Grandparenting introduced. Sandy Pushpamangalam, Waikato Student Union President said “The only solution to protect students against unfair fee hikes is by introducing the Grandparenting scheme nationally, so that students are not affected by fee increases once they are enrolled”

“Massey has now committed itself to this endeavour; we call on all other tertiary education institutions to do the same” said Adam Maynard

“Students at Massey are now gearing up for the campaign against domestic student fee increases and are hopeful that the University will take into account student opposition to even higher fees, more student debt and longer loan repayment times,”: said Maynard.

ENDS

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