In the 2010 Provincial Budget, the Government announced a plan to increase international enrolment in post-secondary institutions by fifty percent. In 2009, Ontario universities enrolled a total of 16,274 international students. When the government’s international enrolment target is met, this number will increase to 24,411. With enough international students in Ontario to compose a medium-large size university, the need for greater attention to issues specific to them is pressing. Moreover, with international students paying deregulated tuition, the need to examine the fairness of international student contributions is more important than ever.
Average international student tuition for a first year arts/science student in 2009 was $16,907, a full 240% more than the average domestic tuition rate of $4,698. This difference is understandable, as institutions do not receive provincial operating funding for international students. However, there has been a growing concern on campuses that international students pay more than their fair share of tuition, subsidizing growing institutional deficits. There has been corresponding concern that efforts to internationalize campuses carry financial motivations.
Taking international student enrolment and tuition in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 from Common University Data Ontario, it is possible to determine average growth rates over the past four years. Based on data reported by the institutions, the average growth rate from 2009-2010 was 5.90%, followed by 6.64% and 6.10% in 2008-2009 and 2007-2008 respectively. This means that growth rates have exceeded the five per cent cap that domestic tuition is regulated to.
On top of this, when one compares average international student tuition in 2008 ($15,917) to average university revenue per domestic student in the same year ($13,061), it can be found that universities received an average of $2,856 more per international student than domestic student. However, the estimate of revenue per student does not take into account capital funding, which could partially explain the difference in revenue per domestic and international student. Additionally, it has been suggested that the costs associated with recruiting, transition and additional support are cost burdens associated with international students.
Additionally, when broken down by institution and year, international tuition growth rates are shockingly inconsistent. In 2006-2007, international tuition at York University rose by 17.77%, followed by a 1.41% increase in 2007-2008. At Lakehead, a 20% increase was followed by a 4.17% increase. It becomes problematic to expect international students to be able to plan adequately for upcoming years of education when they could face dramatic and unpredictable increases in tuition.
Based on the data available, it is impossible to completely answer the question as to whether international student tuition is currently fair. However, I would submit that Ontario institutions should be able to clearly demonstrate fairness. Certainly greater vigilance and attention must be paid to international student costs, and the growth rates in these costs.
Ontario will never be able to attract the best and the brightest if the price of admission isn’t fair.
-Chris Martin
OUSA Research Team
