6 June 2022
Sarah S
Via email:
[FYI request #19281 email]
Tēnā koe Sarah,
I am responding on behalf of the University to your recent OIA request, in which you have asked for
information relating to the price increase and cost breakdown of the Application Fee for
Vet Selection.
You have stated in your request:
“The application fee, required for selection into the BVSc professional phase, increased from
$112.50 in 2021 to $395.00 in 2022 (inclusive GST). “I understand that this fee covers the cost of
screening and testing applicants (Stage 1 selection assessments) and other related
administration.”
The application fee in 2021 was $112.50 but students also had to pay $80 directly to the provider of
one of the selection assessments, so the total cost to each student was $192.50. The fee in 2022
covers all components of the selection process. This fee covers the costs of all components of the
selection process – Stage 1 and Stage 2.
I respond to other parts of your request as follows:
1. What factors led to the decision to increase the fee for the 2022 intake selection?
Over the last few years, the School has expended considerable resource creating more robust
selection processes and pathways for veterinary applicants. In addition to the directly attributable
costs of delivering the individual components of the selection process, there is a significant cost in
administering the process and managing the growing number of applicants.
The gap between the historic nominal fee and the true cost of administering and delivering the BVSc
selection process has grown rapidly over recent years. Thus, the BVSc selection process is now cross
subsided by other funding streams within the Vet School. This cross subsidisation is not appropriate
or sustainable and the cost of the selection process needs to be borne by those within the selection
process (the applicants).
2. What consultation measures were undertaken to decide on the fee and if any measures were
considered to minimise the financial burden on students, parents and caregivers?
The fee was calculated to cover the current costs of the selection process and consultation took
place with various areas of the University with regards to cost recovery. For 2022, some one-off
funding was provided by the Ministry of Primary Industries to support applicants with a
bursary/reduced fee system. We will continue to explore options to provide a bursary/reduced fee
system for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in the future.
3. A complete calculated breakdown of how the $395.00 application fee will be budgeted and
spent by Massey University
The fee was calculated to be cost neutral. The per applicant cost (based on 2021 figures) was
calculated to be:
STAT test
$65
CASPer test
$80
Multiple Mini Interview Costs
$48
Administration & Other Minor Costs
$192
Total
$385
The attribution of “Multiple Mini Interviews” and “Administration & Other Minor Costs” on a per
student basis is dependent on an estimate of the number of applicants in a given year, which is
subject to normal variation. The fee was set at $395 to ensure that the true costs would be met in a
year with a smaller number of applicants and to allow for a small buffer to cover increases in
external costs which we do not control.
I trust this is the information you require.
Ngā mihi,
Jodie Banner
Office of Governance and Assurance
