Release the Hounds!

I’m told the website is being updated. One of the updates is the fees. The per year fee has increased by 1,000 rand or $60. Total program price at today’s exchange is roughly $11,200 USD.

Regarding timing and proposal.
“ The research process works as follows: After admission into the programme, you have up to a year to complete the research proposal. This is essentially Ch 1 and Ch 3. A minimum of 60% must be achieved in order for the proposal to be accepted and moved into the dissertation writing phase. The initial amount to be paid to allow for admission is R12 600.00. Once your proposal has been accepted, your three years begin. In year 1, you will pay the year's tuition fee, minus the R12 600 you have already paid.”

 

Wow! What currency depreciation! I can remember when 1,000 rand was $1,000 US! In 1982-84 the Rand was even stronger, reaching $1.30 US at one point. Now it's $0.06. Six cents! Yeow! What a cataclysmic fall!

 

What I've noticed, anecdotally, is that degrees from SA schools were inexpensive then and now. Degrees from Australian schools, on the other hand, have gone way up, even more than the exchange rate changes.

 

Couple of factors leading to that, I believe, Rich.

(1) Australia has not had a currency depression like SA. If we could somehow engineer one for them, perhaps the price curve would flatten, after exchange is factored in - but they'd never forgive us!

(2) I think this is unique to South Africa - I believe a University gets the same Government subsidy per student, whether the student is a foreigner studying by distance, or a South African. So it's all the same to them - and the fee for the student is the same. And the currency differential has gotten worse over the last 15 years, as I see it. Back then I think the Rand was worth 10 cents - it's now down to 6.

 

Meanwhile in Canada we can't even get Athabasca a per-student fee for students studying outside of Alberta.

 

I said in another thread that Canada wasn't perfect. Here's the proof (and I never knew that!) If any enterprise deserves help to succeed, it's a University. smh