Sweden ending no-tuition policy

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 23 (UPI) -- Sweden's higher education minister says the government plans to end its no-tuition policy for university students from non-European countries.

Beginning in 2010 at the latest, non-European students who study at universities in Sweden will be charged tuition, the Swedish news agency TT reported Monday.

"Our primary argument is that it is unwise of a country not to benefit from a payment system, which obviously exists," said Lars Leijonborg, higher education minister. "Why should these students pay money to American or British universities, but not to Swedish (ones)?"

Some 13,000 foreign students currently study at Swedish colleges and universities. Most are men from Asia pursuing technical degrees.

Leijonborg says students from EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway would not pay tuition under the plan.