WVU implements international student fee

West Virginia University is implementing a new International Student Fee. Some international students will have to pay an additional charge of $300.

The purpose of the fee is to cover the costs of meeting government regulations, issuing student visa documents and to provide support services to international students. Some students say they're not happy about the fee.

"The fee is kind of unfair, honestly. Knowing that we're paying a high amount of money already for school, almost $30,000 a year, and now they want to impose $300 more for international students. I think it's a little bit unfair just because we're not only bringing diversity to the school, but we're bringing profits," said Sebastin Duque.

"I understand why it's being implemented. I don't like it, because it's another $300," said Juan Perez.

Students were informed of the fee on July 12, with the payment deadline set to August 1. The university says the late notice was due to waiting on approval from the Board of Governors. This raised concerns for some students, who said they weren't given enough time to plan for the payment. A WVU official told 5 News that the deadline is now being pushed back.

"That's a pretty fair thing to do. A lot of people didn't know about it, but I still don't necessarily agree with the fee," said Sebastin Duque.

"It wasn't the best, but they pushed it back to spring, so I can't really complain about that," said Juan Perez.

All international undergraduate students will pay the fee at the beginning of the spring semester. Graduate students on assistant-ship will not have to pay the fee.

The university is still deciding on whether or not international graduate students who are not on assistant-ship will be charged.