The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, June 30, 2022 | 14:20
Education
Universities pressed to refund tuition amid protracted pandemic
Posted : 2020-06-15 16:56
Updated : 2020-06-15 17:57
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
A student passes by Konkuk University campus in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
A student passes by Konkuk University campus in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Konkuk University decides to offer partial refunds

By Bahk Eun-ji

Konkuk University's latest decision to offer partial tuition refunds is putting other schools under pressure over whether to follow suit. Many universities have consistently refused to do so, despite growing calls from their students, according to school officials Monday.

Konkuk University said Monday it will offer students a partial tuition refund, becoming the first university to do so, as its students have been demanding compensation or the chance to retake their courses at no further cost. Classes have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The school's tuition committee, which includes university officials and student council members, has decided to reduce the tuition fee for the second semester for its 15,000 students. The committee has met 19 times since early April to reach that decision. The decided method dictates the amount of tuition that has to be paid in accordance with the ratio agreed upon by the two sides as indicated on the tuition bill.

"Since it is a special situation due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we decided that it is inevitable for schools to reduce tuition fees in part within available financial resources," an official of Konkuk University said. "School officials and students of the committee are in last-minute negotiations over the reduction rate, and it is expected to be decided sometime within this week."

Konkuk is the first university to reduce the amount of tuition fees since the virus pandemic impacted educational institutes. So far, universities have responded to requests for tuition refunds by organizing additional resources or by offering "special scholarships" secured through fundraising by faculty and students.

Most universities here postponed the start of the spring semester by one or two weeks and even though they resumed classes, many have been replacing on-campus classes with online ones due to the continued COVID-19 outbreak.

However, the comparatively lower quality of online classes led more students to demand tuition refunds, and a network of 27 university student councils held a number of news conferences across the country since March. According to the association, 83.8 percent of respondents said universities should refund part of their school tuition for the delay in opening as compensation for the period they replace offline lectures with online ones, citing its survey of 12,213 members nationwide for five days from Feb. 28.

Universities have claimed that they still have to pay fixed expenses such as labor and facility maintenance although they have stopped providing on-campus lectures. They said they cannot afford to return tuition fees due to financial deterioration such as a decreasing number of international students, expenses for quarantine work on campus, establishment of remote class infrastructure and operation of facilities such as dormitories and restaurants.

But other universities seem to be struggling with the decision to reduce tuition fees.

"Most universities find it difficult to refund tuition fees for the first semester, except for some universities considering returning a certain amount of money to students in the form of special scholarships," an official of a university in Seoul said on condition of anonymity.

"Even though we have provided online classes for the spring semester, universities also spent a lot of money, including quarantine costs caused by the virus outbreak and facility costs for the remote classes. In addition, tuition fees have been frozen for the last 10 years, so the university's finances are not sufficient," he said.

Regarding Konkuk University's tuition refund plan, an official from the Ministry of Education said, "It is a matter for the university to decide on its own."

The official then said the education ministry is aware that there are many objections from universities to refunding tuition fees because they have been financially struggling.


Emailejb@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
LG
  • Bodies found in missing family's car in Wando
  • How I lost my period after shooting my first 'body profile'
  • Korea looks to Europe to diversify trade partners as China's growth slows
  • Luna collapse causes chaos
  • Yoon, first lady attend gala dinner hosted by King of Spain
  • [INTERVIEW] 'Asia-Pacific region has potential to lead global decarbonization sector'
  • Korea's first NATO summit to show expanded global role: experts
  • Korea will stick to principles despite China's objection, PM says
  • SK Bioscience gets final approval for Korea's 1st COVID-19 vaccine
  • S. Korea, US, Japan agree to step up pressure on North Korea
  • [INTERVIEW] With unusual nicknames and backgrounds, MIRAE eyes becoming next big K-pop star [INTERVIEW] With unusual nicknames and backgrounds, MIRAE eyes becoming next big K-pop star
  • [INTERVIEW] Jean-Michel Othoniel's glass garden of enchantment 'is for everybody' [INTERVIEW] Jean-Michel Othoniel's glass garden of enchantment 'is for everybody'
  • Girl group aespa to perform in 'Good Morning America' 2022 Summer Concert Series Girl group aespa to perform in 'Good Morning America' 2022 Summer Concert Series
  • [INTERVIEW] Park Hae-soo talks about differentiating his character in 'Money Heist' remake [INTERVIEW] Park Hae-soo talks about differentiating his character in 'Money Heist' remake
  • Park Hae-il 'honored' to play war hero Admiral Yi Sun-sin in 'Hansan' Park Hae-il 'honored' to play war hero Admiral Yi Sun-sin in 'Hansan'
DARKROOM
  • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000 [PHOTOS]

    Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000 [PHOTOS]

  • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

  • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

  • Poor hit harder by economic crisis

    Poor hit harder by economic crisis

  • Roland Garros 2022

    Roland Garros 2022

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group