Bishop’s University has seen a drop in enrollment from out-of-province students despite being exempt from Quebec’s controversial tuition fee hike.
The English-language University of the Eastern Townships says enrollment of students from the rest of Canada has fallen by 10%.
The institution’s principal and vice-chancellor, Sébastien Lebel-Grenier, says the Quebec government’s decision to increase tuition fees for out-of-province students by $3,000 has created a “chilling effect” that discourages students from coming to Quebec.
Bishop’s University is exempt from the tuition fee increase, but Lebel-Grenier said the university is still facing a $2.6 million deficit, largely due to declining enrolment.
He adds that international student enrolment has dropped by about 40 per cent, which he says is because the federal and provincial narrative about temporary immigrants makes them feel like they won’t be welcome.
Montreal’s Concordia University announced earlier this week that out-of-province student enrollment is down nearly 30 per cent and international student enrollment is down 11 per cent, costing the university $15 million.
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