Reykjavík Grapevine - 24.08.2007, Blaðsíða 6

10_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 13_007_ARTICLE/EDUCATION
Every student starting a semester at school
faces the fact that studying doesn’t come for
free. For many students computers are neces-
sary, as well as books, computer programs,
work tools and etc. Also a student almost
always has to pay some kind of a tuition or
fee for the semester or winter at hand. For
that reason students are constantly faced
with the question: How much is my educa-
tion worth?
The Choice of Education
The cost is very different between students.
An art student might need to spend more on
equipment than an academic student, but
then again an academic student who could
be studying anthropology or psychology often
has to consider printing expenses and buying
large amounts of books – many of which the
students will not sell when the courses are
over and instead they use them throughout
their studies as well as professionally when
they start working. Tuition fees vary between
schools. Universities driven by the state are
the cheapest while universities in the private
sector sometimes have extremely high fees.
It’s hard to put a price tag on education be-
cause every single person uses it differently.
However, it’s safe to say that education can
seriously increase one’s ability to start a self-
chosen professional career. Regardless of good
prospects, every semester does have a price
and it’s interesting to explore how much it
really costs to get a degree.
Some students are young and still get help
from their parents, others are independent,
have their own families and serious financial
responsibilities. Many seek education through-
out their lives, often after starting a family or
purchasing a home. An Icelandic university
student has a few options when applying
for school. The University of Iceland offers
the broadest selection of courses while many
of the private universities enable students to
approach their education on a more practical
level. Some offer a better connection to the
chosen profession of the student and hire
teachers from the work market, not nec-
essarily advanced academic scholars. Other
schools offer a different collection of courses
for their degree programs than The University
of Iceland, as well as other locations than
Reykjavík.
How Much to Start?
When a student has chosen the right school
many things have to be taken to consider-
ation. Tuition fees are a big concern. The
University of Iceland and The University of
Akureyri offer their students a year’s worth
of studying for 45,000 ISK. When studying at
Reykjavík University the price of one semes-
ter starts at 128,000 ISK. At Bifröst one can
easily find that a full semester can cost close
to 300,000 ISK, depending on the level of
education and how the teaching is provided.
Many students are poor, not only because
of their low income while studying but also
because of these high prices.
Add to this the cost of books and various
study equipment. Some have to purchase
a computer. It is not always necessary but
owning one does increase the ability of the
student to work flexibly. A student who owns
a computer can, in many cases, work more
effectively at home and is able to interact with
teachers and fellow students easily – not to
mention the vast selection of sources available
on the internet. A reasonable computer that
should survive the year costs around 100,000
– if you want a better computer the price can
easily double. Some students are required to
buy computer programs; the programs are
licensed and therefore costly. Prices can range
from 5,000 to 100,000, depending on their
efficiency and nature.
Printing is necessary but the universities
offer solutions for their students. A student
can get a printing card for a very low price
(sometimes they are free) and use the school
printers. The negative aspect is the fact that
the student needs to be ready with their work,
while at school, and there is less room for
improvement. Scheduling becomes a much
more important factor and fixing mistakes is
not as easy. It can be very hard for a student
to realise a crucial mistake when holding a
printed copy of an important piece of work
and not having the means to fix them the
same way one could at home. Therefore most
students buy their own printers. They are not
very expensive but can cost from 5,000 ISK
to 20,000, depending on their versatility. By
buying a printer the student is really buying
valuable time.
Spending Wisely
Books can be very expensive. Very few get
away with less than 25,000 ISK and most
spend around 40–50,000 in their undergradu-
ate years. A post graduate student can easily
spend close to a 100,000 ISK entirely on
books. As mentioned before, trading books
is not always an option. The curriculum often
reflects the student’s interest and is therefore
necessary in the following courses. Further-
more, the student is likely to use the books
when he or she starts working and continues
to use them later in life. A lawyer is highly
likely to own large law collections in the same
way a computer scientist is likely to own books
on programming or a mathematician is likely
to own a good calculator. A student’s educa-
tion often consumes his or her life; therefore,
much of the curriculum is something they
hold on to throughout his or her professional
career. For that reason buying books can be
seen as an investment for the student, but
a costly one at a very difficult time in her or
his financial life.
The maximum monthly payment for a
single Icelandic student who either rents or
is a homeowner is 94,000 ISK. One can apply
for additional loans to deal with some part of
high tuition fees in private schools – but a stu-
dent at The University of Iceland will pay the
mandatory 45,000. This still leaves the cost of
books and other equipment unsolved. Many
use their summer incomes to bridge the gap.
They save their money and use it to pay the
tuition fees, books and such. Many also have
to deal with rent and other similar expenses.
An apartment in the University’s Skuggagarðar
has a price tag of approximately 50,000 ISK,
which drops to 38,000 with support from
the city. However the waiting list is long and
many have to rent on the free market which
is expensive and not very secure.
For What It’s Worth
The fact is that studying is expensive. It’s a
strenuous process, both academically and fi-
nancially. The answer to the question of worth
exists within every student who willingly puts
him or herself through this process. The edu-
cation itself becomes priceless – it infiltrates
every aspect of a person’s life; it changes the
individual and provides freedom that can not
be replaced. While the challenges of educa-
tion are not only academic but also a financial,
the students will find themselves faced with
more lessons than the ones provided in class.
Their necessity is debatable.
The Price of Education
Text by Helga Þórey Jónsdóttir Photo by Leó Stefánsson
At Bifröst one can easily
find that a full semester
can cost close to 300,000
ISK, depending on the lev-
el of education and how
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