Allegations CSR of overpayment tuition fees untrue
The UvA has carried out an internal audit in recent months into accusations by the Central Student Council (CSR) that thousands of students had overpaid institutional tuition fees. According to the UvA, the investigation showed that only 13 students were involved.
At the end of April, a fuss arose among students over an issue raised by the CSR: according to CSR president Noah Pellikaan, possibly ‘more than five thousand’ mostly international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) had overpaid an average of one thousand euros in institutional fees. This tuition fee varies per programme and the UvA may set it itself for students from outside the EEA. It is much higher than the statutory tuition fee.
Tuition fees rise annually in line with inflation, but according to the CSR, the UvA would have regulations stating that tuition fees for students may not increase during the first four years of study. However, the students affected would have paid more each year, the CSR believed. The total would have been ‘five million euros’.
3,900 euros
The UvA started calculating to find out whether this is the case and now concludes that the accusations make no sense. ‘The CSR suspected that possibly thousands of students were overpaying tuition fees. It now turns out that of the 5,930 students covered by the institutional tuition fee, 13 students (0.23%) paid too much, an average of EUR 300. In more than 99% of cases, the correct fee was charged. In one case, an undercharged rate was charged,’ the UvA said in a statement. The amount involved is therefore thirteen times three hundred is 3,900 euros of overcharged institutional tuition fees.
Refund or waived
Students who overpaid will be automatically refunded that amount. The debt over the underpaid fees will be waived. According to the UvA, students who overpaid were students with enrolments for multiple studies or changes and for which multiple starting fees applied upon enrolment. ‘For the future, efforts will be made to check the amounts charged earlier and further automate the invoicing.’
