Why are NUS fees going up despite billion-dollar reserves?

A sign at the National University of Singapore. PHOTO: ST FILE

It shocked me to find out that the National University of Singapore (NUS) has been increasing its tuition fees for Singaporean students every year since 2015. For example, a graduate student doing a computing research programme admitted in 2015 pays $8,600 a year, while a student in the same programme admitted this year pays $9,500 a year, an increase of 10.5 per cent.

The cost of accommodation and food in NUS' hostels and residential colleges has also continuously increased.

All these increases add up and put pressure on Singaporeans.

NUS increased its reserves from $8.5 billion in the previous year to $9.5 billion in its financial year that ended in March last year (Varsities' billion-dollar reserves: No easy answer to how much is enough, July 28).

Why are Singaporean students paying more despite NUS' reserves?

Are government tuition grants not sufficient to offset these yearly increases?

Ivan Goh Sian Lung

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 15, 2019, with the headline Why are NUS fees going up despite billion-dollar reserves?. Subscribe