Higher University Fees Approved

Press, Volume C, Issue 29671, 15 November 1961, Page 22

Higher University Fees Approved

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 14. The Government has agreed to University Grants Committee recommendations to increase university tuition fees and establish a new system of student bursaries, the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) said today. Three new types of bursaries will be introduced—fees bursaries, fees and allowances bursaries, and masters’ bursaries, with higher boarding allowances. The Government has agreed that universities may Increase their tuition fees up to a limit of three times the present fees from the beginning of the 1962 academic year.

Mr Tennent said the new scale of bursary allowances for successful study by fulltime students holding fees and allowances bursaries would rise from £4O in the first year, to £6O in the second and third years, and £lOO in the fourth year. The allowance payable to holders of the masters’ bursaries would also be £lOO.

The boarding allowance for students who had to live away from home to attend university had been increased from £5O to £BO a year.

All students who had their full tuition fees paid under the present system would have them paid under the new system

Also, students with university entrance or otherwise entitled at present to have half their fees paid in their first year would in future have their full tuition fees paid. But the continuation of bursaries after the first year would be conditional on the passing of two units each year or where passes were credited in groups of subjects, being credited with enough to proceed to a substantial amount of new work

Students holding only fees bursaries will be able, by passing three units in their first year, to become eligible for fees and allowances bursaries for full-time study tor the balance of the tenure of their bursaries.

These decMow applied only to the general university bursary system under the Education al Bursa rieef Regulations, and did not cover the various scholarships. bursaries and other awards, such as post-primary studentships, provided by Government departments and other organisations. The Government ted, however, approved in principle

the introduction of a scheme of teachers’ bursaries to meet certain special needs in the teaching service. Mr Tennent said the grants committee had reported to him that the old university fees, fixed as long ago as 1928. were now quite unrealistic. The present fees were about one-third to one-quarter of those payable in Australia and other Commonwealth countries. The extra fee income after the increases would permit s corresponding reduction in grants to the universities and the money saved in this way would be used to improve the system or bursaries.

“With the wide availability of the new bursaries, the higher tuition fees now authorised will become mainly penalty fees to be paid by those who have failed to make sufficient progress with their studies." the Minister said.