A fee for international students at Indiana University has more than doubled.
International students are upset the increase came without warning or explanation. IU’s head of international affairs said a review found the university’s fee was far below that of other Big Ten institutions.
Beas Bhattacharya, an intelligent systems engineering doctoral student from India, said she understands fees increase over time, but she couldn’t reconcile this big of an increase this fast.
“At least the increase should have been a little more justified,” she said. “Not just increased 117 percent overnight.”
Bhattacharya was one of the first people in her department to become aware of the increase. She noticed last fall her bursar bill was more than expected. She went into her account and found the international administrative fee had jumped from $91.80 to $200 per semester.
As word spread, international students started sending emails to IU Graduate and Professional Student Government, said Adam Reneker, president of the organization.
“They were concerned because they didn’t see this coming,” he said.
There is a stereotype that all international students are wealthy,Renekersaid,butgraduatestudentsoftendon’tgetfinancial support from their parents.
Instead, they live on a fixed stipend that doesn’t increase when fees do.