Colleges under pressure to cut application fees

By Kang Shin-who Just a few years ago, college hopefuls normally applied to less than five schools. With the continuously changing admissions system, however, high school seniors are now able to apply to more than 10 universities. This might have given students greater admissions opportunities but at the same time increased application fees sharply. Colleges usually charge applicants 70,000 ($61) to 100,000 won. For Jang Sol-bit, who was accepted by Ewha Womans University last year, her parents had to pay nearly 1 million won as she applied to 10 universities. “My parents paid a lot of money in application fees. I think the charges are too much,” Chang said. Civic and student groups have been complaining that universities charge applicants expensive fees and demanded the schools disclose how the collected money is spent and why they charge so much. With a growing public outcry, the government is moving to force colleges to lower application fees. During a meeting of the education reform council, presided over by Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, last week, the government decided to take a set of measures to bring down costs schools charge college hopefuls. Under the revised plan, colleges will be required to make public their application fee revenue and spending at a website disclosing university information. If colleges are found to have overcharged students, they will have to return the surplus to the applicants. The special council, comprised of government officials and private experts, was established to provide advice to President Lee Myung-bak. The new steps also require colleges to exempt a certain number of students from low-income or underprivileged families from application fees. In addition, those who are unable to attend tests or interviews due to natural disasters or illness will be able to get the fees back. Moreover, the government will encourage universities to charge application fees in phases. Universities have so far imposed applicants the total amount of money, even if applicants fail to reach the final phase. At the same time, schools will be encouraged to accept credit card payments. According to Rep. Lim Hae-gyu of the governing Grand National Party, Chung-Ang University earned the largest amount of income from college hopefuls amounting to some 6.28 billion won last year, followed by Korea University with 6.17 billion won, Sungkyunkwan University with 6.08 billion won, Hanyang University with 5.83 billion won and Dankook University with 4.87 won.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr