University. It is called the summer vacation of your life in Japan, but it is a period you spend the most money for your school during your student life. In most countries, the tuition of a university is always high, especially if you want to go to a better university. However, because of its high tuition, many students around the world are struggling to prepare money for tuition. Today in this article, we are going to dive into the reality of university students who are struggling with financial problems, and how they are managing it. We also interviewed a university student working in the Philippines on his own to make money for his university tuition.
tuition of a university around the world
Education at a Glance report suggested that the highest tuition for a university in the world is in England, with an average cost of approximately $12,330. Universities that use English in classes tend to have high tuition. For example, the top 5 countries with the world’s highest tuition fees are England, the USA, Japan, Canada, and South Korea; except for Japan, universities in those countries use English. But why is their tuition high? Aren’t there countries with low tuition? I’ll write an explanation of what I wondered based on specific countries’ realities. So, let’s dive in!
“Why the country is the highest?” England ; $12,330
Country with the highest tuition is England. But this country only costed $1,300 a year. However, until 2004, the fee had risen to $4,000. Moreover, during 2012, the government eased the restriction on fees up to $12,000, and most universities started to require a minimum tuition of $8,000 from students. Now, the average has risen to $12,330, which is the highest in the entire world. But this high tuition doesn’t just imply negative aspects. Graduating from a university in England will provide you with useful knowledge you can use throughout your life, and the salary threshold in England rose from $20,000 to $27,000 as tuition rose. So we can say that even though tuition has risen, the burden itself is not changing dramatically.
“Why Japan has such a high tuition?” Japan ; $5,177
Japan is my home country, and many of my friends tell me how expensive their tuitions are. As a matter of fact, Japan has high tuition next to the UK and the US, and the highest tuition for universities that don’t teach in English. But why? The biggest problem is less aid from the government. Tuition used to be only $240 for a national university in Japan. But now, it is $5,300. It is more than 20 times! In England, people’s salaries were also rising, right? But in Japan, it didn’t change that much; in fact, the cost of living has only risen by less than double. So, individual burdens have increased dramatically. Moreover, even with the soaring fees, aid for students’ tuition from the government has decreased from 0.6% to 0.5%. The aid is only a slight help nowadays. But Japan is trying to provide an education that can compete globally, so tuition will continue to rise. This is the problem and the reason why Japanese university tuition is as high as that in the UK or US.
“Aren’t their country with low university tuition?” Ireland ; tuition free
In Ireland, tuition is free for students living in Ireland, EU/EEA countries, and Switzerland. The costs are covered by the Higher Education Authority, and they have been paying for students since 1995. However, if you are a student from a country that is not listed, some universities will charge you tuition. To gain this privilege, you have to apply for a government funding program and prove that you have:
・have an undergraduate degree
・have a postgraduate degree
・repeating a year of study
“How about university in developing country?” Philippines ; $700
In the Philippines, most universities charge around $700. It might seem like a very low price, but the average salary in the Philippines is $2,800 per year, which is 1/27 of the average salary in the US (which is $77,000 per year). So, many students in the Philippines struggle financially. Many children drop out during their secondary and tertiary education due to poverty, child labor, and geographical issues. A significant problem for the Philippines’ educational institutions is the quality of education. According to The Lookout, they suggest that:
“One significant issue is the quality of education. Large class sizes, insufficient instructional materials, and outdated teaching methods are prevalent in many schools, particularly in public institutions. Teacher training is inconsistent, with a notable disparity in educational quality between urban and rural areas.”
Poverty and low educational quality are problems the Philippines is facing right now, not only at the university level but throughout the entire educational system.
Interview ~university student who have a financial problem in the Philippines~
Who are you?
My name is Jaynard. I am a student at a university in Davao City. I cannot afford my university tuition, so I work part-time selling cookies, juice, strawberries, and other items in this store. There are not abundant jobs in Davao City, so I came here to Cagayan de Oro City, which my friend recommended for work.
Why are you in financial problem?
University tuition is very high for us, and most families are struggling to pay it. Especially, many Filipino families have a lot of children, so even if their parents have stable jobs, they have to strive to afford every child’s tuition. For example, I have many siblings, and my university does not offer a good scholarship system. They don’t provide any significant aid, so many university students like me have no option but to work while studying. A lot of students, more than you might imagine, are struggling with these issues.
What is a god point of working as a part time worker here?
Only one month has passed since I started this job, but I’m already satisfied. Of course, if I can, I want to study at university, but I believe that working part-time helps me gain practical skills that I can’t acquire just through studying. For example, the number of people I talk to has increased dramatically. This is because I am in an environment where I meet various people. The communication skills I’ve developed here are unique.
What is your dream?
My dream is to return to university and resume my studies. After that, I want to save my money to go abroad, such as Japan. I really like exotic cultures.
How do you think about the financial problem?
I think it is a problem that should not exist and should be recognized by more people. Few people in this world are aware of the reality faced by university students. More children should have the opportunity to study for their futures and pursue their dreams.
What is your favorite word?
Fighting
this is a word for a students who are struggling by the financial problem like me.
How was the article? Many students struggle with financial problems, regardless of whether a country is developing or developed. We cannot say that all countries should be like Ireland and provide free university education for everyone, but it is true that all children need a minimum opportunity to study for their future. Of course, this is a difficult problem to solve, but I hope that through this article, some of you become aware of this problem and start thinking about solutions.
Thank you for reading this article, and see you next article! Bye
sources
・Here’s What College Costs in 28 Countries Around the World – Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-college-countries-around-the-world-2018-6
・Why is University in the UK So Expensive – And Is It Worth the Cost? – Oxford Royale
https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/university-worth-tuition-fees/
・https://cdn.statcdn.com/Infographic/images/normal/11058.jpeg
・【諸外国との比較と歴史的背景】なぜ日本の学費は高いのか？【武田塾国分寺校】 – 予備校なら武田塾 国分寺校
https://www.takeda.tv/kokubunji/blog/post-275320/
・The Status of Education in the Philippines: Progress, Challenges, and the Path Forward
https://thelookout.com.ph/article/the-status-of-education-in-the-philippines-progress-challenges-and-the-path-forward
・Tuition Fees and Living Costs for Studying in Ireland in 2024 – Mastersportal.com https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/1708/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-for-studying-in-ireland.html
・Countries Where College Is Free or the Government Pays for Tuition – Business Insider
https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-with-free-higher-education-no-tuition-college#ireland-has-paid-tuition-fees-for-most-full-time-undergraduate-students-since-1995-4
