StudentsNS issues report on rising debt levels of NSCC students

Students Nova Scotia has released a report, Fees, Funding and Student Voice at the Nova Scotia Community College, which explores fees, funding, and accountability structures at Nova Scotia Community College. The report finds that although NSCC has prioritized access and affordability and offers programs that are of relatively low cost, college students’ debt levels are higher than the national average and debt default rates are increasing. StudentsNS also suggests that both NSCC and the province need to work harder to provide transparency and to include student voices in institutional decision making. The report makes a number of recommendations for the province and NSCC, such as freezing tuition at NSCC nominally until unemployment recovers to pre-recession levels; providing students with an accurate explanation of the full costs of their program when they enrol; and converting all loans to grants for Nova Scotia residents who wish to pursue studies at NSCC. Last month, NSCC announced a 3% tuition increase for students in most programs. StudentsNS News Release | Full Report