Sports physician and foundation fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine, Dr David Hughes, seen in conversation with fourth-year medical students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

With an annual school fee which could exceed $2 million plus other charges including book costs, many Jamaican students could see their dreams of a medical career die long before they enter the gates of the University of the West Indies.

It could be a similar story for those who want to study law, except that the maximum annual fee for that faculty is $285,347.

Those fees are on the high end and would be paid by students who are not assisted by the Jamaican Government.

If the student is among the chosen few to be part-sponsored by the Government the maximum fee would be $201,011 to enter the Faculty of Law as a full-time student and $444,574 for those entering the Faculty of Medical Sciences.

But that is still a major challenge for the youngster who has excelled at the secondary level but does not have the means of financing his way through university.

"I have met the matriculation requirements to enter the law faculty but I cannot afford the fee," one recent high-school graduate told The Gleaner.

"I have a similar story but I'm going to have to find a job and save first," said another, who has passes in eight Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) subjects and four Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects.

But one student who has made it into the law faculty believes the cost hurdle can be overcome.

"It is perceived that only persons with the financial means are able to do this. However, the fact of the matter is that students are finding creative ways of meeting these challenges. While some may fall short, others manage to pull through," law student Chalene Laughton told The Gleaner recently.

Laughton, president of the Jamaica Association of Students at the Cave Hill campus of the UWI, argued that greater loan facilities to assist students are needed.

She is supported by Germaine Smith, the public relations officer at the Barbados based faculty.

Cost a deterrent

"The cost of the programmes is onerous, and may be a deterrent, but what I have seen is that people have found conventional and unconventional ways to try and cope with costs.

"For example, Jamaicans still make full use of the few scholarships that are available. Others negotiate with their Credit Unions. Some enter borrowing contracts with relatives or business people, while a lucky few access the Student Loan Bureau (SLB)," Smith said.

The university also believes it has sufficient measures in place to assist students who are financially challenged.

These include special loan schemes, scholarships and grants.

"The medical faculty has gone even further in its efforts to assist students who are pursuing the medical degree programme.

"Last year, when some of the full fee-paying students reached fourth and final years and were threatened with deregistration because of outstanding payments, the Faculty of Medical Sciences established a revolving loan system and entered into a repayment agreement to the tune of J$39 million with the students," Carroll Edwards, public relations officer at the university told The Gleaner.

"When these students repay this money, it will go back into a fund to assist students with fees and other commitments," Edwards added.

She said similar programmes are in place for students in the law faculty.

Awards programme

"In order to facilitate students who may find it difficult to meet tuition expenses, the Mona Campus has made available awards for all the students pursuing the law programme offered by the Campus.

"Each student who made an application was assessed and offered an award. (The value varies between US$1,000 and US$5,000 based on the level of need). The award is made for a maximum of three years, provided the student maintains a GPA of 2.0," said Edwards.

The university also pointed to the SLB which makes loans and grants available to Jamaicans.

But Opposition Spokesman on Education Basil Waite is worried that the SLB will not have sufficient money to assist those most in need.

According to Waite, an actuarial study conducted by the Opposition has concluded that if the SLB is not recapitalised shortly it could run out of money by next year.

He also wants the SLB to be reformed to make it more accessible to potential students.