Cost of Higher Education in Europe, China and Japan

In my last article I lamented the huge costs of higher education in this country and suggested we look at other countries for models. I may have been optimistic. Many are facing rising costs but are different levels than ours.

Ireland: They describe themselves as desperate where students now have to live on biscuits stolen from the Chaplain’s office. They have 250,000 students and over the last 15 years fees of their universities  for registration, exams and student services have gone from $240/student to nearly $2,000/student. Plus the government is cutting spending 5%.

Overall Europe has lower costs for higher education than we do but they are feeling the economic crunch as we do and cuts are being made. Ireland is an example of that.

Eastern Europe is worse. Latvia cut public funding in half since 2008. Poland, Hungary and Estonia have made cuts between 4% and 7%. Even Britain announced cuts of up to 14%. Italy and Spain about 10% reductions.

On the other hand Germany and France are boosting educational budgets; Germany 9% in 2010, And France is increased their educational budge about $2.4 billion up 5.3%.  In France anyone who wants to study at a university may at about $540 per year. Government subsidies for these student run as high as $16,160 per student per year.

Sweden seems to approach education differently than most countries; more tailor made to in individual interests; they educate you for what profession you chose to pursue. If I get it right every student can get allowances and loans to cover what they need. EU (European Union) students going for doctorates don’t pay tuition but there is a small registration fee, 30 € per semester (I didn’t compare Euros to dollars). That also entitles them to discounts for public transportation, stores etc. You do have to buy your textbooks. Before recently they just didn’t pay anything for education, including foreign students.

All in all higher education is a lot cheaper in Europe than it is here. They also have stricter standards but more freedom, and give professors and departments more discretion in curriculum determination.

You can check out Erasmuscu.com for information.

Total costs for universities in Japan is about $10,000 per year but there is several places for assistance.

In China the cost for education is approximately 1/3^rd of the family’s total income. That’s all education not just higher education. It comes to about $624 per year; that is for higher education. That is expensive.