Cost-Sharing in Higher Education

Tuition Fees and Student Financial Aid Policies

Abstract

　 The aim of this paper is to investigate cost-sharing in higher education, with a particular focus on tuition fees and student financial aid policies in various countries, and to review the previous research in this topic so as to acquire a firm grasp of the policy implications. In Japan, there is a strong feeling that parents are responsible for their children’s education, and therefore should pay the cost of their education. However, within the context of cost-sharing, the shift in the relative burden from the public purse to private funds, and from parents to children (students) has become a worldwide trend. This paper examines financial support measures for students from the perspective of this shift, and confirms the development of a policy shift from student grants to student loans in various countries. However, the paper argues that this shift causes loan burden and loan avoidance problems, and clarifies, by reference to several international case studies, a heightening recognition of the importance of student grants.