Over a span of three years, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has significantly increased admission, semester, and credit fees, doubling the financial burden on students. For the 2023–24 academic year, the university administration has set the admission fee at 18,000 BDT.
According to the university’s admission committee and official website, the admission fee for the 2020–21 academic year was 8,100 BDT. The following year, in 2021–22, it was raised to 15,000 BDT. Despite student protests over the hike, the administration at that time took no steps to reduce the fee. In 2022–23, the admission fee increased again to 17,250 BDT, and for the current 2023–24 academic year, it has been further raised to 18,000 BDT.
Similarly, semester fees and credit fees have also witnessed a steep rise over the last three years. In 2021–22, the development fee for departments was 3,000 BDT, but it now stands at 5,250 BDT for the 2023–24 academic year. These sharp increases have angered both new and continuing students.
In 2022, semester fees for students of the Faculty of Social Sciences were 2,430 BDT, which have risen to 3,345 BDT in 2024, marking a significant hike in just two years. The cost per theoretical credit, which was 105 BDT until the 2020–21 academic year, has been raised to 140 BDT for the 2022–23 academic year. Similarly, the cost per practical credit, previously set at 160 BDT for the 2020–21 academic year, has been increased to 200 BDT for 2022–23.
Students from the Food Engineering and Tea Technology Department have also voiced their frustrations. In 2022, the semester fee in this department was 2,400 BDT, but it has now risen to 3,345 BDT within two years. Similar fee hikes have been observed across all departments.
The consistent and substantial increases in semester and credit fees each year have fueled widespread discontent among students, many of whom are now protesting against what they see as unchecked financial exploitation.
