University students object to costs of exchange programme due to cost of living

A student exchange club at the University of Auckland could be affected by the current cost of living crisis.

The University of Auckland’s chapter of AIESEC is an international, non-profit organisation that provides leadership opportunities to students through exchange programmes.

President of AIESEC at Univeristy of Auckland Manisha Nanthakumar says the objection from students about the cost of the programme could be a challenge.

“I feel one of the big kind of objectives from our customers are the finance constraints of the product.”

Nanthakumar also says that other daily expenses of students has taken up a higher proportion of students’ budgets, which makes the programme less affordable for them.

Demand for travelling overseas among students has also increased after the easing of covid restrictions according to Nanthakumar.

She says, “More than now, students are wanting to travel and go out of New Zealand since we’ve all been cooped in New Zealand and in our homes…and I think from this our numbers will increase because I feel like the demand is there.”

The cost of living has increased by 8.2 per cent to December 2022, according to Stats NZ.

The AIESEC at the UoA is still working towards a solution to the objection of the students.