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Update!!

Students are annoyed, and they want change within the University.

SUARTS are campaigning to ensure that any additional course costs (on top of tuition fees) are upfront, transparent and reasonable.

'What are we doing?’
SUARTS are campaigning to ensure that any additional course costs (on top of tuition fees) are upfront, transparent and reasonable – this means additional course costs should be stated on all Entry Profiles, there should be no compulsory fees further to those stated, there should be support and structured programmes in place to help students with their fundraising and sponsorship and student should receive a breakdown of what their additional fees have been spent on.

‘Why are we doing this?’
Currently additional course costs are administered on an ad hoc basis that varies widely across different colleges and courses – some students are asked to pay £100 towards materials at the beginning of each term. After this, the extra costs students are asked to pay could be almost anything. Often sprung upon students with little or no notice and at difficult times of the year, the system is unfair and needs to change. This affects every student, but we all know that those from lower income backgrounds and those hard up of cash are going to suffer the most.

It is not unknown for students to enter the last few weeks of Uni not knowing whether they will be able to afford the obscene amounts of money that are needed for a Final Show.

We accept that costs for materials must come from somewhere, but if students are going to be asked to pay for something which they need for their course, the University needs be upfront, transparent and reasonable. Something which currently does not happen.

‘How are we doing this?’
Over the course of the next term we’ll be collecting raw data on the extent of the hidden course costs that you have to face. We will be distributing blank Compulsory Costs guides (through Course Reps) so you can all feed in to this. This will be analysed to highlight the breadth and disparity of the problem. This will then be taken to the University to ensure these are addressed and to highlight the absurdity and unfairness of the situation.

Over the course of the year our campaigning will be ramped up to achieve a fairer system.

What can I do?
• Report any ‘surprise’ costs that you are asked to cover this year by emailing campaigns@su.arts.ac.uk
• Visit the Facebook group to see our Hidden Course Costs tour tinyurl.com/UALhiddencosts

‘What have we achieved?’