BU tuition hikes ‘major increase’ for struggling students

BRANDON — Brandon University’s board of governors has approved increases in tuition fees for both domestic and international students for the upcoming academic year.

Domestic tuition fees will increase by four per cent — the maximum increase permitted by the Manitoba government — while international student tuition fees will rise by six per cent.

Brandon University Students’ Union president Tosin Salau said many students are grappling with the rising cost of living.

“In isolation, it may seem like a small increase, but when you consider the cost of living and other expenses students face, it becomes a major increase.”

Salau said there are concerns higher tuition costs could affect both student recruitment and retention.

He said many international students are under significant financial pressure, including limited work opportunities and additional costs not always fully covered by insurance.

“It will definitely affect those that are already here and may discourage some prospective international students from choosing Brandon University or even Canada,” he said.

University vice-president Peter Hickey said affordability remains a serious concern and it is an important part of the university’s decision‑making process.

“At the same time, the university is experiencing rising costs related to inflation, staffing, maintenance and program delivery,” he said. “Balancing these realities responsibly is necessary to ensure we can continue providing a strong educational experience while remaining accessible to students.”

Hickey said that while Manitoba continues to have some of the lowest university tuition rates in Canada, ongoing collaboration between the province and post-secondary institutions is necessary to ensure universities remain financially sustainable while maintaining quality and accessibility.

The budget projects an increase in domestic students and a continued decline of international students.

Undergraduate enrolment is expected to grow by seven per cent among Indigenous domestic students and by five per cent among other domestic students. However, overall international enrolment is projected to decline by 13.5 per cent because of federal study permit restrictions, resulting in an estimated loss of $456,000 in tuition revenue.

“These expectations are already built into the budget projections for future years,” university spokesman Grant Hamilton said. “Frankly, at this point, much of the impact from declining international enrolment has already been felt. BU is somewhat insulated from the worst of the impacts because we did not build our budget to rely on extreme international enrolments in the first place.”

Hamilton described the projected growth in Indigenous student enrolment as a significant positive development for the university.

“Indigenous students have been one of our fastest-growing demographics,” he said.

The university has expanded support services, including the Indigenous student transition program, Indigenous counselling services and the Indigenous student success officer position.

— Brandon Sun