The University of Groningen and the Hanze University Groningen will increase tuition fees for Ukrainian students as reported by Groninger Internet Courant. The new rate will come into place for first-year students beginning their academic careers in September 2023.
This sees tuition skyrocket from the European Economic Area fee of €2,200 to a range between €8,000 to €15,000 depending on the study of choice.
The decision was taken by both universities as they feel they can no longer maintain the low rate for Ukrainian students as it is inconsistent to provide a lower fee for students from Ukraine and not other war-affected countries.
Students who were already enrolled in the academic institutions, an estimated 540, will be exempt from the new fees. It is still unknown how many Ukrainian students will be enrolled for the upcoming academic year.
Not just a Northern phenomenon
Unfortunately for Ukrainian students, it is not just the North of the Netherlands that has gone back on their decision to grant a lower tuition fee to those affected by Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine.
According to NOS, 8 out of the 15 universities across the country have decided to remove the fee exemption for Ukrainian students. As of now, Tilburg University and Erasmus University Rotterdam, along with Groningen’s institutions, have been revealed as those who will no longer cut tuition fees.
Maastricht University has been vocal about its support for those affected by the conflict. “We think that [Ukrainian students] should be able to count on the same conditions as Ukrainian students who started last year,” a spokesperson told NOS.
A number of the 36 HBO colleges are expecting to keep fees low but most have yet to come to a decision.
