No enrolment fees for international students in NRW

"A reasonable and appropriate decision" - the Universities of Applied Sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia welcome the decision to forego the introduction of enrolment fees for international students.

Press release of the Landesrektorenkonferenz (translation)

The Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW) in North Rhine-Westphalia welcome the decision announced by the Minister of Science Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen not to introduce fees for international students (non-EU foreigners).

In the coalition contract between CDU and FDP, this option had been envisaged. In recent months, the ministry had evaluated Baden-Württemberg's experience with this type of enrolment fee. "The cancellation of these enrolment fees is a comprehensible and correct decision, which makes it easier for us as universities," explains Prof. Dr. Marcus Baumann, Rector of Aachen University of Applied Sciences and Chairman of the Landesrektorenkonferenz. "We have always been concerned that such fees would entail considerable administrative costs and that the ratio between expenses and income would therefore hardly be justifiable. The experience gained in Baden-Württemberg has given rise to this concern. On the other hand, we also saw the danger that the introduction of such fees would stand in the way of the politically enforced internationalisation efforts of our universities," said Baumann explaining the HAWs' position.

"We are pleased that these fees are now off the table, but that the federal state is at the same time increasing the quality improvement funds for universities by more than 50 million euros. This money directly benefits the students at our universities by improving teaching and study conditions. This is very good news for the universities in NRW," said Baumann.

Background: Pressemitteilung der Landesregierung Nordrhein-Westfalen (German)