JOINT DEGREE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION NETWORK TACKLING - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• National Legislation Regarding Tuition Fees of Master Programmes within the EU

JOINT DEGREE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION NETWORK

TACKLING CURRENT ISSUES AND FACING FUTURE CHALLENGES

• The following table is based on information provided by JOIMAN partners and other HEIs of the Utrecht

Network (2009 – 2010)

For general information on national tuition you might want to check http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/eurybase_en.php, chapter 6 in each individual report.

Country Legal regulations for tuition fees of Master programmes Special regulations depending on student's citizenship? Special regulations for joint degrees? Special regulations for ERASMUS Mundus?

Austria All tuition fees are waived for students holding Austrian citizenship or from EU/ EEA countries for the duration of their curriculum plus two tolerance semesters (Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate programmes) - Universities Act 2002, sect. 92, § 9 UG 22. For other nationalities, a tuition waiver is granted upon condition of study progress as social contribution (Tuition Fee Decree - Studienbeitragsverordnung 2004- appendix 2). Nationalities listed in appendix 3 (less developed countries) have a tuition fee waiver as well. For further information check: http://www.bmwf.gv.at/wissenschaft/national/gesetze/studienrecht/stub eiv_2004/. YES, see left column. NO NO Belgium Flanders Wallonia The maximum fees for Bachelor and (initial) Master programmes are set by the Flemish government (same for both). Fees are calculated on the number of credits of the study programme and depend on the social status of the student (different categories). An interuniversity agreement arranges for the same fees at all Flemish universities. For 2009/ 2010, fees varied between 100 – 568 € for full-time registration. Advanced Master programmes are less regulated but a maximum tuition fee is set, generally 5 400 € (although exceptions are possible). Fees are determined for each academic year. In French-speaking universities tuition fees are determined by laws on university funding (27 July 1971 – art 39). For the academic year 2009/ 2010, tuition fees varied between 112 - 837 € (according to the social status of the student). Yes, universities can charge extra registration fees from students from

• utside the European Economic Area

amounting to a maximum of 15 times the basic fee, depending on the field of study (art, 27 § 4 27 July 1971). Yes, universities can charge higher fees from students from outside the EEA. NO No information given. A higher fee could be applicable to ERASMUS Mundus advanced Master programmes. No information given.

• Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, tuition fees at state universities are set annually by the Council of Ministers (for undergraduate, postgraduate and specialized courses). The Amount depends on the professional field and degree. Some categories of students are exempted from paying tuition fees (orphans, disabled, war invalids, persons raised in homes for abandoned children, cadets at higher defence schools, and postgraduates in the last two years of the programme for a Doctoral degree.) Non-EU students pay fees amounting to the education allowance norms of the respective professional tracks. Unlike Bulgarian and other EU students, they are exempted from state scholarships. No information given. No information given. Czech Republic Tuition fees in the Czech Republic are only compulsory for study programmes offered in a foreign language. Act 111/1998 §58 “Should a public higher Education institution offer degree programmes carried

• ut in a foreign language, it sets study fees for Bachelor’s, Master’s or

Doctoral degree programmes.” Fees may also be applicable for students who excess given study lengths. No, all students (including local students) pay tuition fees if they study in a foreign language. NO NO Denmark Danish universities do not charge tuition fees for Danish and other EU students in Master programmes. Tuition fees for Master programmes are a must for non-EU/ EEA students and students outside exchange agreements. The decision is taken by the Ministry, but the university has to define the amounts for the various studies. For Aarhus University check:: http://www.au.dk/welcome/degree/tuition . A new Act including regulations on joint degrees is currently under discussion. The term "Joint Degree" does not exist in the judicial Danish education vocabulary yet, though multiple/ double degrees are awarded. So far, they count as exchange agreements, and, therefore, involve no tuition fees. A new Act including regulations on ERASMUS Mundus fees is currently under discussion. Contradictions of EU and national rules led to the reimbursement of several Danish students who had paid tuition fees in ERASMUS Mundus programmes in 2007/ 08. The agreement from June 2009 states the following: "Students who are entitled to Danish state educational support can finance any tuition fees necessary for a period

• f studying abroad

through a scholarship for studying abroad. This applies even if in

• doing so the student is

in receipt of a scholarship for studying abroad for more than two years. The universities may not enter into agreements concerning ERASMUS Mundus programmes with universities charging tuition fees exceeding the Danish scholarship for studying abroad." Estonia The Universities Act from 1995 stipulates the principles of financing study places of Estonian universities. There are publicly and privately funded student places. Each year, the government commissions a fixed number of places in different institutions to be filled according to the results of the entrance examinations. Students accepted to the state-commissioned places do not have to pay tuition fees. State- commissioned places are mainly available to students at public and state institutions. A limited number of places may be available in private institutions, too. The quota beyond state-commissioned education and tuition fees for these students are set by the council of the respective university. Only citizens of EU member states are eligible to apply for state-commissioned student places. NO NO Finland Following Finland’s University Act of 2009, all tuition fees in Finnish Higher Education were banned by law. The only exception was 3rd- party funded "commissioned education" in which an NGO, government,

• r private company pays full fees for a group of non-EU students. In

2010 however, a five-year experiment started, allowing Higher Education Institutions to charge fees from non-EU students. Universities will decide themselves whether they charge or not, the fees proposed by a respective working group range from 3 500 to 12 000 €. The fees are supposed to be applicable for special international Master courses only, and the government promised that they would not block former state funding. Starting from 2010, for a try-out period

• f five years non-EU students might be

charged tuition for international Master

• programmes. Each university

independently decides on its tuition fees (proposals were made by a working group). NO NO

• France

Tuition fees for all national degrees are set by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Budget. Universities are not allowed to modify them but they can charge additional fees for special and not mandatory services, i.e. French courses, tutors, cultural activities etc. NO NO NO Germany Pursuant to a judgement rendered by the Federal Constitutional Court, the 16 Federal States (“Länder”) now may individually impose tuition fees on students. Since 2005, six states have installed tuition fees ranging from 750 – 1 000 € per year. In some Federal States each university is free to decide upon the imposition and amount of tuition

• fees. In states where tuition fees are not allowed for Bachelor and

Master programmes, universities can still charge tuition fees for non- consecutive ERASMUS Mundus Master programmes. For further information check: http://www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/Gebuehren/ - http://www.studentenwerke.de/pdf/Uebersicht_Studiengebuehren.pdf. In most Federal States, fees for long-term students and for an additional course of study are being charged. German students can apply for a grant (to be paid back partly after studies) under the Training Assistance Act (BAföG). NO Yes, there might be because each Federal State decides

• n its fee policy individually.

In some states, even each university decides autonomously. Yes, there might be because each Federal State decides

• individually. In Saxony,

for instance, ERASMUS Mundus study programmes are exempted from the

• restriction. The amount
• f the tuition fee is

regulated by the ERASMUS Mundus guidelines. Greece Generally, the state provides Higher Education free of charge. However, following proposals of the department and upon decision of the university's senate, fees may be fixed for postgraduate students of specific programmes. Students in the Hellenic Open University, for instance, pay tuition fees. Students of the International Hellenic Open University make a financial contribution in order to cover the operating expenses of undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes. The level of this contribution will be fixed following the joint decision of the Ministers of Economy/ National Education and Religious Affairs. NO No information given. No information given. Hungary Tuition fees for Master courses in Hungary differ from programme to

• programme. They are determined by the universities themselves

ranging from 1 260 – 2 520 € per year. A certain number of students in certain programmes are paid for by the state. For 2007/ 08, the state covered costs for 56 000 students. Students who do not have the right to free movement and free residence in the territory of Hungary or those who are not under the principle of reciprocity are subject to fee paying. NO NO

• Iceland

According to the Universities Act (No 63/2006) which applies to the

• peration of all universities in Iceland, state operated Higher Education

Institutions do not collect tuition fees for the degree programmes they

• ffer. Private universities are allowed to charge tuition.

NO NO NO Ireland Fees are applicable for postgraduate courses and institutions are free to set their own fee levels for these courses. Check: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/postgradtrain.htm Yes, in general non-EU students pay higher fees than EU students. NO NO Italy In Italy, tuition fees are determined by the universities within certain

• limits. Tuition fees cannot exceed 20% of the governmental subsidy,

which covers 70% of the budget of a public university. Universities can define different amounts to be paid by the students, according to their social situation and their merit. Part of the tuition is to be transferred to the regional authority. Fees are determined yearly. NO Each university can set its

• wn tuition policy for joint

degrees. Each university can set its own tuition policy for ERASMUS Mundus Master programmes. Latvia The Higher Education Institutions in Latvia are autonomous in setting the level of tuition fees for Master programmes. There are no direct external normative acts regulating the tuition fees, yet some formal criteria (e.g. square meters of facilities per student) apply. Besides, the public funding available for the study programme influences the decision on the tuition fee level. According to EU regulations, the tuition fee for EU citizens is the same as for inhabitants of Latvia. The University of Latvia makes distinctions regarding citizenship in its internal normative acts. Non-EU students pay a considerably higher amount than EU citizens /Latvians. (The new Law on Higher Education will introduce joint degrees soon.) (The new Law on Higher Education will not distinguish ERASMUS Mundus courses from others.) Lithuania Lithuanian universities receive full state funding for a number of places in Master programmes. The Research council defines the number of places on the basis of research indicators of a university. The universities have the right to accept extra students. In this case the students have to cover full tuition costs. Only the tuition fees of (some) Lithuanian and EU citizens can be covered by the state. Non-EU students must cover all costs. However, there are a number of state agreements that stipulate coverage of tuition fees for some non-EU students on a Numerus Clausus basis. NO NO Luxembourg Universities are free to charge tuition. The Board of Governors is the body to approve of the fees. NO NO NO

• Malta

All full time programmes are free of charge for Maltese students. Tuition fees, set by the Ministry, are to be paid for part-time courses and by foreign students. Non-European students pay tuition fees for all courses. The University of Malta, for instance, states in Legal Notice 258/2009, specifically Regulation 12: "Fees for programmes which the university offers jointly or in collaboration with a foreign university as well as fees for short programmes will be established on a case by case basis.“ At the University of Malta, ERASMUS Mundus Programmes fall under internal regulations for Joint

• Degrees. Legal Notice

258/2009, specifically Regulation 12 states that: "Fees for programmes which the University offers jointly

• r in collaboration with a

foreign University as well as fees for short programmes will be established on a case by case basis.“ Netherlands The Dutch government yearly sets the nationwide fee for all Master

• programmes. During 2009/ 2010, the fee amounted to 1 620 € per
• year. This fee applies to Dutch and EU students.
• Yes. Since 2008, non-EU students are

no longer financed by the state. They pay a fee based on the full costs of the

• programme. Each university applies its
• wn fee based on real, full costs.

Therefore, the fee depends on the university and the study field ranging from 5 000 up to 20 000 € per year. Truly joint degrees are not possible in the Netherlands (yet double degrees are). In 2010, a new law will be

• adopted. The law does not

specify financial regulations; the existing regulations apply to joint degrees.

• No. The Board of the

university decides on the tuition fees. Since 2009, the fee for ERASMUS Mundus Master programmes is limited to 8 000 €. Fees at Dutch universities are much higher. There will be a discrepancy between ERASMUS Mundus tuition fees and regular fees in future (up to 18 500 at Utrecht University i.e.). A solution needs to be worked out, possibly a fee waiver.

• Norway

The Norwegian Universities and Colleges Act 2005 regulates student fees: "Section 7-1. Fees (1) State universities and university colleges may not claim fees from students for ordinary courses leading to a degree or for professional training courses. The Ministry may in special cases, on application, approve exceptions from this provision. (2) Private universities and university colleges shall ensure that the state

• perating grant and fees from the students are used to the benefit of

the students. Institutions that receive state support may not give financial dividends or in any other manner transfer profit to the owner

• r close associates of the owner. (3) The Ministry may issue

regulations concerning the right of universities and university colleges to claim fees from students and to claim other expenses associated with the courses." So fees are forbidden for "ordinary" courses, and "leading to a degree", in practice this means "courses which can form part of a degree". The Ministry has issued a set of supplementary regulations, listing some exceptions, but none which may apply to regular (including joint) Master courses, check: http://www.ub.uio.no/cgi- bin/ujur/ulov/sok.cgi?type=LOV. NO NO NO Poland The National Bill of Higher Education in Poland states that tuition is free at state owned universities for full-time (on-campus) students. Extramural (evening, part-time) students pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are also charged at private (non-public) universities. Free tuition applies to Polish and EU

• students. EU students are subject to the

same recruitment procedure as Polish

• students. If not, they can be admitted on

private basis, paying a tuition fee. This fee is a decision made by each university (Senate). All non-EU students pay tuition fees. (Truly joint degrees do not exist, only double degrees.) NO Portugal In Portugal, legal regulations determine that universities with administrative and financial autonomy are responsible for setting the amount of the tuition fees for Master, Doctoral, and other programmes, except for undergraduate studies. Basically, universities are free to establish the amount of tuition fees according to their own criteria, which normally include what they call “real training costs” (costs related to human resources, infrastructures, equipment, etc.).

• No. However, universities may reduce

the tuition fees or apply a fee waiver policy in case of agreement with the partner institution. NO NO

• Romania

Universities are autonomous in setting tuition fees. These may also vary within the same university, depending on each programme. Tuition fees are of equal amount for Romanian and EU students. Non EU- students pay higher fees. NO NO Slovak Republic In the Slovak Republic the amount of tuition fees is set by the universities (excluding paid part time study programmes). It may not exceed the amount set by the Ministry: for full-time study programmes during 2009/ 10 approx. 1 460 € per academic year. The base for the amount is 10% of the average sum of total operating costs per full-time

• student. These costs are allotted by the Ministry to public universities

from the state budget (calendar year) within the framework of the breakdown of the approved budget in the previous calendar year (max. amount: 5 times the basis). Under the Slovak Act on Higher Education Institutions, several types of tuition fees exist (likewise in Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes): a) full-time study programmes i) a duty to pay the tuition fee arises, if a student studies the study programme longer than the standard length

• f study. Each academic year of being enrolled in study programmes of

the respective level is considered in the total period of study of respective study programme. ii) a duty to pay the tuition fee arises, if a student is enrolled in one academic year in two or more study programmes of the respective level simultaneously. Student has the right to choose the study programme to be studied for free, unless the standard length of study is exceeded; thus the duty to pay arises for all studied programmes. b) part-time study programmes – there are two types: the ones studied for tuition fee and the ones studied for free. i) student being enrolled in a paid study programme, has to pay the specified tuition fee during the standard length of study. For EU, EEA and Switzerland citizens and residents the same rules apply as for Slovak citizens. For other nationalities, the university may demand tuition fees and decide on the amount, even for the standard length of study. Tuition fees for studies under international agreements shall comply with the provisions of these agreements. No information given. No information given. Slovenia In Slovenia, there are no tuition fees for EU citizens in Master programmes since the state covers or subsidizes them. This is decided

• n a yearly basis. Each university has to apply for the subsidy. With the

new Bologna programmes, the state has pledged to cover the fees, though not entirely. Non-EU students are charged for Master

• courses. Tuition fees are the same as

for part-time students (Slovenian and EU citizens). Fees range from approx. 2 000 to 5 000 €. Costs are listed under: http://www.uni- lj.si/studij_na_univerzi/cenik_storitev.asp x - Cenik UL 2009/ 10; Zap.st.: 17. Fees are proposed by the Faculty’s Senate and limited by the Board of the University of Ljubljana for every study year anew. NO NO

• Spain

In Spain, the minimum and maximum tuition fees for Master programmes at public universities are decided on yearly by the government, check: http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2009/06/16/pdfs/BOE- A-2009-9984.pdf. However, each of the 17 regions has their specific

• regulations. Tuition fees in Madrid, for instance, are calculated

according to the number of ECTS credits and the subject (24,6 € per credit in Law or Economics ->1 476 € - 31 € per credit in Pharmacy or Chemistry -> 1 879 €). Most regions make no distinction though there are exceptions (e.g. Catalonia). NO NO Sweden Swedish universities do not charge tuition fees for Master programmes

• yet. However, they will start to do so for non-European students in fall

2012. Non-European students will be charged starting from fall 2012. Amounts are not yet clear. So far there are none, but it is not clear whether that will remain so after the alterations (fall 2012). So far there are none, but it is not clear whether that will remain so after the alterations (fall 2012). Switzerland Tuition fees are regulated on cantonal level for the cantonal universities

• r on federal level for the two Federal Institutes of Technology. Fees
• approx. vary between 1 000 and 4 000 €. Check:

http://www.crus.ch/information-programmes/etudier-en-suisse/hautes- ecoles/hautes-ecoles-universitaires/lois-des-universites.html. Some universities charge higher fees for non-local students. Check: http://www.crus.ch/information- programme/study-in- switzerland.html?L=2#8_Costs. NO NO United Kingdom Universities in the United Kingdom are autonomous legal entities. Therefore, there is no national regulation for issuing degrees. Fees for postgraduate degrees are established by each university and can vary according to subjects and programmes. A benchmark might be said to be established by the Research councils offering scholarships which

• ften results in the max. fee level chosen. In this case the 2009/ 10 fee

was approx. 4 000 €. Not all students, however, receive a scholarship; check: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/postgradtrain.htm. A useful overview on Higher Education finances is given on http://www.shef.ac.uk/finance/staff- information/howfinanceworks/higher_education/tuition_fees.html. By law, all UK universities must charge the same fees for EU students. Yet not nationality only, but also the residence for he past three years decide on that

• question. Regarding the issue of EU

versus non-EU status check: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/stat.htm (key words "fees" and "awards"). However, universities can set their own fee rates for non-EU students. Each university applies its own fee based on real, full

• costs. Therefore, the fee depends on the

university and the study field ranging from 5 000 up to 20 000 € per year. See http://www.ukcosa.org.uk/files/pdf/info_s heets/tuition_fees_ewni_print.pdf or http://www.publicgoods.co.uk - fees in UK universities and HE colleges (separate comparison table for each year). Regulations regarding joint degrees have to be established by each

• institution. In practice at

Queen’s University Belfast i.e.: if a degree is offered jointly, the tuition fee would be paid on a pro-rata basis, depending on the length of time which the student was in attendance at Queen’s

• University. The pro-rata

amount charged would depend on whether the student was eligible to pay the home/ EU, or the non-EU

• verseas fee.
• No. The Queen’s

University Belfast, for instance, is not even involved in any ERASMUS Mundus programmes, because the programme fee likely to be charged to non-EU students would be lower than the usual non-EU fee rate.