A financial operation briefing session was held across both campuses on January 5-6. Organized by the Office of Planning & Coordination (OPC), student representatives from each college and department attended the meeting. The session covered last year's tuition increase usage and this year's potential hike.



16-year First Tuition Hike: Where Did the Money Go?

Last year's tuition increase—first in 16 years—was fully reinvested in education and research. Kim Young-jin from the Budget team of OPC detailed the allocation: approximately 5 billion won for scholarships and student support, 7.3 billion won for facility improvements, and the remainder for research.

The University filled the gap from reduced National Scholarship Type 2 funding with internal scholarships. "We allocated 3.5 billion won in special operational scholarships so existing recipients faced no disadvantage," said Kim. Type 1 scholarship funding also expanded, increasing total scholarship resources beyond last year's levels.

Student support programs received priority funding. Career development, 1:1 counseling, undergraduate research festivals, and specialized programs for School of Global Eminence,  College of Medicine, and College of Fine Arts were prioritized. "Student programs actually expanded after the tuition hike," said Kim, noting budgets grew from 8.7 billion won in 2023 to around 12 billion won in 2024.

The University spent more on facility improvements than it generated from the tuition increase itself. It invested 7.3 billion won above last year's level for over 10 billion won in maintenance work, with vacation projects expanding the total further. Key upgrades included structural and systems upgrades, renovations to classrooms, gyms, and libraries, and the replacement of outdated equipment. "Last year's increase was not saved as reserves—we spend what we earn that year," Kim emphasized.

3.19% Hike Under Review Amid Ongoing Financial Strain

Kim outlining plans for a tuition increase

Kim highlighted the University's ongoing financial challenges. He stated, "Last year's single tuition hike does not resolve our financial problems," emphasizing short-term recovery remains difficult.

In this context, he raised this year's potential tuition hike. "We are currently reviewing a 3.19% increase, but it's not finalized. It will be discussed through the Tuition Deliberation Committee later," he said.

Kim cited ongoing financial strain as the key reason. Real tuition has declined over 16 years since 2009 freezes and 2012's 2.5% cut, he noted. Even including 2025's 5.1% hike, cumulative real gains total just 2.6% against 30% inflation and nearly doubled minimum wage.

Students expressed concerns about tuition dependency and consecutive hikes, questioning whether the burden was being distributed equitably. The president of the General Student Club Association asked how much faculty and staff wages had risen during a decade of tuition freezes. A student from the College of Electronics & Information also pointed to the University’s 58% reliance on tuition revenue—well above the national average of 40%—urging the administration to take the figure into account.

"High dependency does not guarantee reserves," Kim responded. "Yonsei University and Sungkyunkwan University have lower ratios yet accumulate 300 billion won reserves, while we have run 20 years without reserve growth using current revenue."

The budget meeting addressed both last year's full tuition increase reinvestment results and this year's 3.19% hike review. It examined financial recovery after 16 years of freezes alongside student burden concerns. Future tuition deliberations will likely hinge on transparent financial explanations and student communication.