Did you know?

Do you know that universities in Melbourne increase the fees every year by about 7%. So of you enrolled the first year say with a fees of $10000, the second year it would br $10700.. so be preapred for it. Also remember 7% is only a general average, and it may increase further ten that too.. look at this news below (new courtesy www.theaustralian.new.com.au)

Uni fees forecast to rocket

Milanda Rout | January 23, 2008

UNIVERSITY fees for students are set to skyrocket and could top $26,000 a year in the next three decades, putting an even greater hole in the back pocket of families trying to educate their children.

New figures from the Australian Scholarships Group predict annual HECS fees could rise to as much as $11,573 by 2017, $17,462 by 2027 and $26,349 by 2037.

The increase does not include living expenses, books or computers and comes amid fears students are turning their backs on universities because of concerns about long-term debt.

The latest round of university applications shows a decline in demand as school-leavers decide to get a job in the nation's booming economy rather than start a costly tertiary education.

Australian Scholarships Group managing director Terry O'Connell said university fees, like all education costs, were continuing to rise. "Education costs are increasing by double the rate of inflation over the last 15 years," Mr O'Connell said.

He said the research showed students would pay up to $13,144 this year for university, which included HECS fees, $1156 in books and stationery, $2221 in extra course activities and travel, and $1776 for computer use.

Mr O'Connell said the estimates - based on a survey of more than 1200 students and taking into account education inflation rates - showed that sending a student to university would cost as much as $18,150 by 2017, $26,088 by 2027 and $37,664 by 2037.

He said the research showed school-leavers were rethinking university.

"They are concerned with the debt they would accumulate while at university ... they are hearing stories about couples unable to buy houses because of their university debt," Mr O'Connell said. "And because of low unemployment levels, students are saying they can get a job so 'I won't go to university'."

Higher education expert Richard James said that although HECS debts were still manageable, there were signs students were becoming worried about the levels of debt they were taking on to get a tertiary education.

Professor James, based at Melbourne University, said there had been a slight decline in university applications, believed to be connected to the strong labour market.

He said the more significant costs facing students were living expenses rather than HECS. "The problem we have got in Australia is living support," he said.

National Union of Students president Angus McFarland said it was not surprising that school-leavers were being turned off university by increasing costs.

Mr McFarland called on the Rudd Government to undertake a review of HECS and student income support.

University of Technology Sydney second-year student Julie Ngo said she was beginning to realise how much her degree would cost.

"I really wasn't aware of it until I got the bill about how much I owed in HECS," she said.

"It was like 'how long is that going to take me to pay it back'."

The 19-year-old said she would also like to move out of home to be closer to university but the high cost of living prevented it.