Tuition fees for international students

On October 6th, the government presented The National Budget for 2023, where they suggest cutting back on financial support for higher education. As a solution to earn money, they have suggested that the institutions should start demanding a tuition fee from international students. This suggestion has caused a lot of debate throughout Norway’s learning institutions, and we have talked to several people at NMBU to hear what they have to say about the proposal.

Journalist: Othelie Eliassen

Translator: Kristin Gilboe

Fotograf: Emilie Reistad

What is really the proposal?

The government’s suggestion to take a tuition fee from international students goes against the promises in ‘Hurdalsplattformen’, which states free education for all. The State Secretary, Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel, explained in an interview with NRK, on October 11th, that if the suggestion passes it is estimated that students from outside of EU, EØS and Switzerland must pay approximately 130 000 NOK to study in Norway.

After the interview, SV, has taken a stand against the proposal, but are not willing to give an ultimatum on the matter during negotiations.

The Student Parliament’s concern

One of the people we spoke with was Jens Bartnes, the leader of the Student Parliament at NMBU. He is one of the people fighting against the proposal and is actively working to prevent the approval of the National Budget.

“One of my biggest concerns is the quality of higher education in Norway”, Bartnes explains. “International students bring new perspectives and insights. I know, from my own experience, that having international students in the classroom, and in social settings, brings important lessons. With less diversity the quality of everyone’s education will be reduced. Today’s system allows the most qualified students to study, not the wealthiest.”

We also asked Bartnes what he believes NMBU will lose if the proposal is accepted. “The suggestion is most critical for NMBU’s academic environment at NORAGRIC. They have a high share of international students, and several from outside of EU. They do important research, take PhDs, and several come back to work as professors. The professional environment is very important and well known international.”

At the end of the conversation, Bartnes explains his thoughts on what the government has started with the proposal.

“I would just like to say that I’m very disappointed that the government can break their promises like that. Both AP and SP supported the principle of free education in ‘Hurdaldsplattformen’ but are already defying it. I think this will lead to a stratification in higher education. I did not expect it from this government.”

ISU’s thoughts

From the organization International Student Union (ISU), we managed to talk to both the president, Nisha Jha, and the Vice President, Muhammad Osama Ali. They are both international students at NMBU, and work along ISU to stop the suggestion. Both Jha and Ali express deep concerns for how the proposal will affect the once with most to lose.

“I fear that students that want to take a higher education to make a better life for themselves and their hometown no longer will be able to”, Jha explains. “It will affect low-income students the hardest. They need to spend all their money on life necessities and cannot afford to spend it on education instead. The suggestion will only give high-income people the chance to get an education, and not the people who truly needs it.”

Ali supports this claim, and also points to the consequences it will have on the education. “Students from countries in the global south will have a lower chance of getting a studentship. This will give a reduced quality on education and the variation of people getting an opportunity will be limited.”

Will this lead to more studentships and accommodation for Norwegian students?

Both Jha and Ali disagree with the statement that the suggestion will free up studentships for Norwegians and remove some pressure from the housing market. “The Minister of Education and Research explains that this is a way of increasing the budget and shrinking the pressure on the housing market, but the suggestion of introducing a tuition fee is not the solution”, Jha states. Ali continues: “When we experience a housing crisis, the solution is not to minimize the population”.

What can be done?

“We are trying to reach as many people as possible to bring attention to the case. Especially towards the people who have a say, meaning SV, AP and SP. We want to show them that breaking promises only will weaken our trust in them. If we cannot trust them to keep the promise of free education, how can we trust them on other matters?” Ali asks.

It is pretty clear that Jha is also ready to take on the fight against the proposal: “It is past due that the government hear what the students feel. We are talking to newspapers, NRK, and we have an agreement with the Student Parliament to work alongside each other to protect the students from the suggestion”. Towards the end, Ali wonders how the solution is to work long term: “if you look at other countries that has implemented a similar solution, they now have trouble getting international students. They have even found it necessary to hand out scholarships”.

At the end of her interview, Jha gives a clear request to the government: “All along, I have been saying the same thing. To everyone we have contacted – at a university level, regional or international – please do not let the hope die. Do not let the hope of all the students that come to Norway to make a better future for themselves, or their community, die like that.”

The Rector’s concern

The Rector, Curt Rice, is also critical to the suggestion and explains how he has two main concerns.

“One of them is my wish that all our students attend a university that tries to understand the world around it. One part of this is to have students from all over the world. If the National Budget is approved, it will mean a massive reduction in the number of international students. I believe it is important for our students to have a co-student in class to tell them: You know what, you need to get out and see the world because what you are saying now makes absolutely no sense where I come from”.

Rice’s second concern considers Norway’s position in the world, and what signal we send with such a suggestion. “Norway is in a position where we are seen as a country concerned with aid work and sharing our wealth. Giving students from the global south the opportunity to come to Norway and study, is part of this aid work”. Rice continues to explain how he finds the claim cynical: “The suggestion makes university’s take money from students that come from the poorest countries. Earning a profit of money from students who wants to take higher education is to me absolutely absurd. The concept is that the universities have to set a tuition fee and administer this themselves. One consequence might be that we cannot take in any international students because we don’t have the capacity for the administration needed”.

What about the studentships?

When we ask what Rice thinks about the possibility of freeing up studentships, he responds “where is the queue?” He points out that, with the exception of veterinary, medicine and a few engineering studies, there are very few people applying that doesn’t get accepted. He is very clear in his criticism: “It is distasteful. Out with the international: Norwegian universities are only for Norwegians”.

What will NMBU do?

Rice is also clear on the fact NMBU will work to stop the suggestion and have already started the work. “We are in collaboration with other institutions and student organizations. I do also try to speak up in media. It is important to make it clear that the government must keep the promises they make in ‘Hurdalsplattformen’.”

Rector’s final thoughts

“The simplest argument I hear is that Norwegian students must pay tuition fees in foreign countries, and therefore foreign students should pay here as well. I don’t find this argument valid. Not because it isn’t true, but because it weakens the principal attitude that everyone should have access to free education”.

Rice focus on how this will make Norway appear in an international setting. “Do everyone in the world have access to free education? No. Should we therefore give it up as well? No. I believe we should hold on to our principles with all our might and show the world that it is possible. Even when several countries have a bad idea, we shouldn’t join in.”

What does NSO think?

After the demonstration, arranged by the Student Parliament and ISO on October 26th, we managed to get a quick chat with a representative from The National Union of Students in Norway (NSO), Simen Tjølsen Oftedahl.

He explains that NSO has estimated that the number of international students outside of EU and Switzerland will be reduced by 70 % with the current suggestion. They also doubt that the proposal will lead to better economy at the institutions of higher education. “They remove the foundation fundings and allows the schools to earn the money they lose by taking it from international students instead. The 78 million NOK that the schools will have to earn will not come from the 2600 vacant studentship filled up by students from Norway and EU. They will have to be covered by the students from outside of EU and Switzerland that still wants to come”.