Germany just abolished college tuition fees (even for international students)

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
Awesome!

"Prospective students in the United States who can’t afford to pay for college or don’t want to rack up tens of thousands in student debt should try their luck in Germany. Higher education is now free throughout the country, even for international students. Yesterday, Lower Saxony became the last of seven German states to abolish tuition fees, which were already extremely low compared to those paid in the United States.

German universities only began charging for tuition in 2006, when the German Constitutional Court ruled that limited fees, combined with loans, were not in conflict the country’s commitment to universal education. The measure proved unpopular, however, and German states that had instituted fees began dropping them one by one.

“We got rid of tuition fees because we do not want higher education which depends on the wealth of the parents,” Gabrielle Heinen-Kjajic, the minister for science and culture in Lower Saxony, said in a statement. Her words were echoed by many in the German government. “Tuition fees are unjust,” said Hamburg’s senator for science Dorothee Stapelfeldt. “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.”

Compared to American students, Germans barely had to pay for undergraduate study even before tuition fees were abolished. Semester fees averaged around €500 ($630) and students were entitled to many perks, such as cheap (often free) transportation within and between cities.

Free education is a concept that is embraced in most of Europe with notable exceptions like the U.K., where the government voted to lift the cap on university fees in 2010. The measure has reportedly cost more money than it brought in. The Guardian reported in March that students are failing to pay back student loans at such a rate that “the government will lose more money than it would have saved from keeping the old £3,000 ($4,865) tuition fee system.”

UK students often compare their plight to their American counterparts, but most Americans would be fortunate to pay as little as the British do: a maximum of $14,550 per year. High tuition fees in the U.S. have caused student loan debt, which stands at $1.2 trillion, to spiral out of control. It is now the second-highest form of consumer debt in the country. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, two thirds of American college students will leave their alma mater in significant debt (averaging at $26,600).

While there are many government measures that could ease the massive burden of student debt, some straightforward steps could make higher education accessible to all. Tennessee, for example, recently voted to make two-year colleges free for all high school graduates. The U.S. as whole could take a note from Germany and make public universities free with relative ease. The government spends around $69 billion subsidizing college education and another $107.4 billion on student loans. Tuition at all public universities comes to much less than that, around $62.6 billion in 2012. By restructuring the education budget, the cost of attending public universities could easily be brought down to zero. This would also put pressure on private universities to lower their cost in order to be more competitive.

At least for now, however, learning German might be the best financial choice an American high school student can make."

http://thinkprogress.org/education/2014/10/01/3574551/germany-free-college-tuition/
 

Glaucoma

Well-Known Member
That's pretty nice.

Just to play Devil's Advocate though.. Although costs are high in the US, we also attract some of the greatest minds to teach at our schools. I would expect that has in part to do with the offered salaries. I would've paid a lot to attend a course taught by like, Neil deGrasse Tyson.

I could see maybe Community Colleges being free of charge. That'd be nice. Make it so!
 

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
That's pretty nice.

Just to play Devil's Advocate though.. Although costs are high in the US, we also attract some of the greatest minds to teach at our schools. I would expect that has in part to do with the offered salaries. I would've paid a lot to attend a course taught by like, Neil deGrasse Tyson.

I could see maybe Community Colleges being free of charge. That'd be nice. Make it so!
The offered salaries?

Imo, I'd never pay as much as required to attend a state school even if they promised specific speakers, like NDT, not worth it at all, I'm sure he'd agree.
 

NoDrama

Well-Known Member
Yeah but look at the Germans, lazy good for nothings that have a failed state and depend on Greece and Italy and Spain for bailout money. Poor poor education, they can't even build things right over in Germany, cars always breaking down and can barely get past 100Km/H. Shithole due to free education. As every American knows, the more you pay for tuition and school, the smarter and better you are than the people that didn't pay as much. The Burden of a $50,000 student loan from Uncle Sam at 5% is good for you and makes your future bright and cheery. The fact that no bankruptcy can extinguish the debt makes it even better.
 

nontheist

Well-Known Member
Awesome!

"Prospective students in the United States who can’t afford to pay for college or don’t want to rack up tens of thousands in student debt should try their luck in Germany. Higher education is now free throughout the country, even for international students. Yesterday, Lower Saxony became the last of seven German states to abolish tuition fees, which were already extremely low compared to those paid in the United States.

German universities only began charging for tuition in 2006, when the German Constitutional Court ruled that limited fees, combined with loans, were not in conflict the country’s commitment to universal education. The measure proved unpopular, however, and German states that had instituted fees began dropping them one by one.

“We got rid of tuition fees because we do not want higher education which depends on the wealth of the parents,” Gabrielle Heinen-Kjajic, the minister for science and culture in Lower Saxony, said in a statement. Her words were echoed by many in the German government. “Tuition fees are unjust,” said Hamburg’s senator for science Dorothee Stapelfeldt. “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.”

Compared to American students, Germans barely had to pay for undergraduate study even before tuition fees were abolished. Semester fees averaged around €500 ($630) and students were entitled to many perks, such as cheap (often free) transportation within and between cities.

Free education is a concept that is embraced in most of Europe with notable exceptions like the U.K., where the government voted to lift the cap on university fees in 2010. The measure has reportedly cost more money than it brought in. The Guardian reported in March that students are failing to pay back student loans at such a rate that “the government will lose more money than it would have saved from keeping the old £3,000 ($4,865) tuition fee system.”

UK students often compare their plight to their American counterparts, but most Americans would be fortunate to pay as little as the British do: a maximum of $14,550 per year. High tuition fees in the U.S. have caused student loan debt, which stands at $1.2 trillion, to spiral out of control. It is now the second-highest form of consumer debt in the country. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, two thirds of American college students will leave their alma mater in significant debt (averaging at $26,600).

While there are many government measures that could ease the massive burden of student debt, some straightforward steps could make higher education accessible to all. Tennessee, for example, recently voted to make two-year colleges free for all high school graduates. The U.S. as whole could take a note from Germany and make public universities free with relative ease. The government spends around $69 billion subsidizing college education and another $107.4 billion on student loans. Tuition at all public universities comes to much less than that, around $62.6 billion in 2012. By restructuring the education budget, the cost of attending public universities could easily be brought down to zero. This would also put pressure on private universities to lower their cost in order to be more competitive.

At least for now, however, learning German might be the best financial choice an American high school student can make."

http://thinkprogress.org/education/2014/10/01/3574551/germany-free-college-tuition/


Try our luck? Just to clue you in most countries frown on illegal immigration and actually have common sense approach to throwing your ass out of the country.
 

Glaucoma

Well-Known Member
The offered salaries?

Imo, I'd never pay as much as required to attend a state school even if they promised specific speakers, like NDT, not worth it at all, I'm sure he'd agree.
Yeah, yanno.. the pay. I'm no expert on the matter, but I bet some get paid more than others. One strong factor could be how well their football team sells tickets. =)

And if a particular school is well known for quality instructors, like.. say MIT, then yeah. I'd pay extra to go there, assuming I was accepted. That's how you get these super prestigious campuses that crank out serious game changing innovators. Do you think MIT pays their professors poorly?

Just my opinion.

Free education is a great idea though, and I would love to see more of it here. Whether it's outright free Jr. College, or more scholarships.. bring on all the free learning we can. But I still think we should keep our fancy pants intact.
 

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
Yeah but look at the Germans, lazy good for nothings that have a failed state and depend on Greece and Italy and Spain for bailout money. Poor poor education, they can't even build things right over in Germany, cars always breaking down and can barely get past 100Km/H. Shithole due to free education. As every American knows, the more you pay for tuition and school, the smarter and better you are than the people that didn't pay as much. The Burden of a $50,000 student loan from Uncle Sam at 5% is good for you and makes your future bright and cheery. The fact that no bankruptcy can extinguish the debt makes it even better.
A+
 

nontheist

Well-Known Member
so you're saying they'll let everyone that applies for a Visa and in a timely manner to take part of their free education? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?
 
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