The faculty of Behavioural Sciences (GW) at University of Twente provides three international Master's programs, namely Human Resources Development (HRD), Educational and Training System Design (ESTD) and Technology Application in Education and Training (TAET).
International students of Behavioural Sciences are seeking an explanation regarding the fee structure in their faculty. The tuition and program fees for 2003-2004 were 10,000 euros for non-EU students enrolled in ETSD, TAET and HRD programs, 3,376 euros for EU-students and 1,476 euros for Dutch students (because they pay not program fee). For 2004-2005, however, tuition has dropped to 1476 euros plus an additional program fee of 1900 euros for non-EU students. In just one academic year, tuition has decreased by 6624 euros. But, even more perplexing for the international students is why they have been paying nearly 7000 euros more each year until now.
The international students of the faculty of Behavioural Sciences would like to know why the same courses and materials for identical programs have such a different fee structure. What are the decisive factors of the fee set-up? Why is it so inconsistent?
Responding to the concerns of the Behavioural Sciences international students, Jan Nelissen, Behavioural Sciences Program Director, acknowledges the anguish felt by the international students, commenting that `in 2004-2005 the MSc programs in the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences (like all other MSc programs in our university) will be financed in a totally different way. In the past (including the academic year 2003-2004) the (international) students in our MSc programs were registered as irregular students, which meant that the University did not receive compensation from the Ministry per graduated student. Thus, we had to charge the students for this `loss' of income. However, from now on, all MSc programs will be embedded in the regular educational offer of the university. The students will be registered as regular Master's students, and the University and the Faculty now (starting from 2004-2005) receive a standard tariff for each credit (study point/ ECTS) per student. Hence we can decrease the tuition fee dramatically.'
Too bad for the students involved that they cannot be compensated for the years when they paid `too much' tuition. Perhaps they will take comfort in the lowered rates for the future.
