Nearly half of private free-degree programs now require students to spend over MVR 60,000

An audit report has revealed that students enrolled in free degree programs at private institutions are increasingly spending money from their own pockets, despite courses being covered under the government-funded First Degree Scheme.

The report released by the Audit Office said that although students were studying under the free degree scheme, the cost of higher education at private centres has continued to rise, with program fees changing significantly over the years.

The Audit Office examined fee changes in 104 degree-level programs offered by six private institutions between 2019 and 2024. In 2019, 15 percent of these programs required students to spend more than MVR 60,000 in additional fees. After a one-percent jump in 2020, the figure rose to 18 percent in 2021. By 2022, the percentage surged to 42 percent.

In 2023, half of the programs required students to spend more than MVR 60,000 from their own pockets. Although the percentage dropped slightly to 46 percent later that year, the audit noted that the trend still shows a steady increase in out-of-pocket expenses for students studying at private institutions.

The audit reiterated that the First Degree Scheme is intended to cover program fees for students, with the government paying tuition for designated fields. Any additional running costs, however, are left for students to manage themselves, which has contributed to rising personal expenses.

The report also highlighted that more than MVR 835 million has been spent on the education of 16,388 students under the free degree scheme from 2019 to 2024. Despite this, the audit found that the number of students who completed their degrees was not recorded or documented.