A group of Chinese computer science students at a private college in Dublin are threatening legal action over a substantial increase in their fees for the current academic year.
The third-year students at Griffith College claim they were told before they enrolled for the four-year BSc course in computing science that the fee for year three would be €2,539.
They say they were surprised to be informed earlier this year that it would instead be €3,900, an increase of over 50 per cent.
The college "unequivocally rejects" the students' allegations.
It points out that its tuition fee list for international students for 1999/2000, which included the fee of €2,539 for year three of the computing science course, expressly stated the prices were for that academic year only.
A note at the end of the document distributed to students also said: "Course fees will increase for each academic year for which the course is provided."
Mr Eugene Smartt, solicitor for the 19 students, claims the tuition fees list was not a contract and that his clients were told the fee for year three, a work-placement year, would be €2,539. This understanding supersedes the college's tuition fees list, he said.
One of his clients had received a handwritten note from a college representative dated April 2000 setting out the fees for the four-year course, with €2,539 for the third year. This note does not include a statement that fees would go up. Some of the students whom Mr Smartt represents have paid this year's increased fees and are seeking refunds from the college, while others have only paid in part or not at all. Mr Smartt claims those clients who paid the €3,900 fee did so "under duress" to get a letter from the college which is necessary before they can renew their student visas.
Three of the students, who have part-time jobs, said they borrowed the extra money from their parents in China. "Every family has a budget, when we see the letter for the four years tuition fees we think we can afford it," said one student who did not wish to be named.
"We are not happy about being cheated," said another. "I remember in first year I went to the reception and was told the tuition fees. I can remember the man said for the next four years you will pay this amount. I wasn't told the list was just for that year."
The course tuition fees as set out for the academic year 1999/2000 were €7,491 for year one; €6,666 for year two; €2,539 for year three and €6,094 for the final year.
The chairman of Griffith College, Mr Diarmuid Hegarty, said yesterday the students had signed a document which stated that course fees "will increase for each academic year for which the course is provided".
The increase in the year three fees reflected the substantial salary inflation in the whole educational sector in recent years, he said.