Tag: free education

All German universities are free to international students

All German universities are now free to Americans and all other international students. The last German state to charge tuition at its universities struck down the fees this week.

Why are they offering such a generous plan?

In explaining why Germany made this move, Dorothee Stapelfeldt, a Hamburg senator, called tuition fees “unjust” and added that “they discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up study. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany.”

The perks don’t end at free tuition:

Even before Germany abolished college tuition for all students, the price was a steal. Typically semester fees were around $630. What’s more, German students receive many perks including discounts for food, clothing and events, as well as inexpensive or even free transportation.

Considering the average student loan debt in the U.S. is $29,400, a lot of U.S. high school students would do well to start learning German.

Source: Daily Kos

Sasco marches for free education

sascoStudents marched to Parliament on Wednesday, calling for free education.

SA Students’ Congress (Sasco) provincial secretary Sello Nkatho said the students marched from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town.

The group intended to hand over its memorandum to a representative of the education commission.

Nkatho said the students wanted education to be free for every young person who qualified as poor, according to a government means test.

He envisioned the education assistance taking the form of a bursary.

“There is a body of evidence gathered that shows where government has a political will and correct administration, education can be made free for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the destitute,” he said.

It was unacceptable that higher learning institutes increased their fees between eight and 12 percent every year, said Nkatho.

Sasco would continue with marches and “other alternatives” should government not respond to its call.

Marches were taking place on Wednesday in all provinces except the Free State, where a march had been postponed.

A national march was planned on Thursday and would start at the Tshwane City Hall in Pretoria. – Sapa