AZE.US
A dispute has erupted at Western Caspian University after students alleged that those studying under state-funded placements were asked to make additional payments despite their tuition being covered by the government.
According to the students, messages were circulated in WhatsApp groups saying that the annual tuition amount for certain state-funded students had been underpaid by the state by 347.30 manats and that the balance had to be settled by the end of May. In a separate version of the claim, the demanded amount was put at around 375 manats.
Students say the issue is not isolated and may affect hundreds of people across multiple faculties. They argue that those admitted under state-funded quotas should not be asked to pay anything out of pocket for tuition.
The allegations triggered anger among students, some of whom said they were also warned they could be barred from exams if the money was not paid. They describe the demand as unlawful and say they do not intend to pay for education that should already be financed by the state.
Students also claim that stipends for February and March have still not been paid. For some, they say, the situation has created serious financial strain, with the disputed amount approaching a family’s monthly income.
Education experts cited in the report say that if a student is studying under a state-funded placement and has no academic or financial debt, neither a private nor a public university has the right to demand an additional tuition payment. They say affected students can appeal to the Ministry of Science and Education and other relevant institutions.
The university did not give a formal interview on the matter, according to the report, but said orally that around 60% of its students study under the state-funded system. The institution also said funds allocated for these students had, for reasons unknown to the university, been returned to the Finance Ministry’s account after December last year.
University representatives further said the messages sent to students were not connected to the university leadership and that claims about students being blocked from exams were unfounded.
Later, vice-rector Sevda Sadiqbeyova said the university was still trying to clarify the situation and had already sent formal inquiries to the relevant state bodies. According to her, the administration is waiting for official explanations on why the funds for these students did not reach the university and were instead sent back.
At the same time, the Agency for Science and Higher Education, which operates under the Ministry of Science and Education, said the tuition of students admitted under state-funded placements is paid by the state in accordance with the rules. It added that demanding any extra payment from such students is illegal.
For now, the case leaves a sharp contradiction in plain view: students say they are being asked for money and denied stipends, the university says there is confusion over transferred funds, and the state agency insists that no higher education institution has the right to collect additional tuition from state-funded students.