Czecho-slovakian Kove to Reduce Number of Foreign Students at Universities: Fees Increased for All F

The Universities of Prague, Bruenn, and Bratislava, have on instructions from the Ministry of Education, increased the enrolment fees for foreigners tenfold and in some cases twenty-fold.

In addition, the clinic-fees for medical students have been increased tenfold, from ten kronen to 100 kronen. The enrolment fees have been increased from 50 kronen to 500 kronen and in some cases to 1,000 kronen, and many foreign students will find it impossible to raise this amount and will have to stop their studies at the Czecho-Slovakian Universities.

Deputations of foreign Jewish students at Prague and Bruenn Universities, who visited the University authorities to plead for leniency have been told that nothing could be done to relieve matters.

The Jewish Deputies had been assured by the Minister of Education, Dr. Derer, that the increase of fees would apply only to new students, and would not affect those students who already belonged to the Universities. The present increase, however, affects all foreign students, no matter how many terms they have already attended at the Universities.

Demonstrations against the increase of fees have taken place at the Prague Universities. The Rector of the German University in Prague, told the students that there would be some reductions made for foreign students who have been attending the University for several terms, but no exception would be made in the case of new students.

The Dean of the Medical Faculty at Prague University, Dr. Starkenstein, told the foreign students who called on him that the increase of fees had been ordered by the Government, and the University could do nothing in the matter.