Question about Hogwarts' tuition

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 90603

 "Patty Satjapot" wrote:

> > Hi everyone, sorry if this was discussed before.   I was reading
> through the series, and I realized that I have never come across 
anywhere in the book where they mention tuition for Hogwarts and if 
some students were waived or how much the MoM funded Hogwarts and 
who were their sponsors, etc. 

> I was wondering if anyone might have read somewhere in the books 
if they mentioned those things because I remember that Hagrid spoke 
to Harry in the first book about his gold in Gringotts for 
purchasing his equipment, but he didn't say anything about paying 
tuition.  If it's not mentioned in the books, did JKR mention it 
anywhere?
>
JustCarol responded:
>
>>> But Hogwarts wouldn't require much money for its upkeep. Repairs 
can be performed magically, the House Elves work for nothing, there 
are no utility bills to pay, and the teachers' salaries are 
presumably modest (they receive room and board and Snape, 
McGonagall, et al. have enough money to buy dress robes, but they 
wouldn't have many other expenses.<snip>

 But someone has to pay for the food that the House Elves prepare--
food conjured out of nothing returns to nothing, like leprechaun 
gold. Maybe the students whose parents can afford it (or are willing 
to pay it?) are charged tuition, but then the Weasleys would never 
hear the end of it from Malfoy.<<<

Ali replies:-

This topic has come up many times before, and opinions are always 
very divided - because there is no canon proof. 

I always wonder though, why people assume that tuition fees must be 
paid? To me, it seems to go against the policy of allowing all those 
with magical ability to attend, if it is then dependant on parental 
income.

Surely, the dangers of not training up magical children, the dangers 
of exposure and magical accident etc, would mean that the MoM was 
under more than a moral obligation to train them. Not training them 
would risk exposure of their secret world.

If we have state funded schools in the Muggle World, why shouldn't 
the Wizarding World? For a world that seems to have such a well-
formed bureaucracy, it does not seem to be a stretch to assume that 
they might have taxation, and the ability to pay teachers and the 
upkeep of Hogwarts.

JKR has said that there is a magic quill at Hogwarts which writes 
down the names of magical children when they are born. They are 
later written to and invited to attend Hogwarts. I believe that this 
invitation rests on ability to do magic and not ability to pay.

Other listees have developed theories of scholarships for poorer 
students like the Weasleys and Tom Riddle. The idea of Hogwarts 
being a Foundation school has also been mooted, and I suppose I can 
see this argument working. If the 4 founders set up the school with 
a large legacy, perhaps supported by yields from Hogwarts-owned 
farms, or the like, then it is possible that little further income 
would be required, even now. The MoM could provide any shortfall. 
Again though, there is no evidence for this theory. But the idea of 
foundation schools is well-rooted in British History.

In some ways, the Hogwarts Founders were far ahead of their Muggle 
counterparts. Magical training for all; Boys and Girls. Britain has 
had compulsory education for little over a hundred years.

As you might have gathered, I do not believe that Hogwarts charges 
tuition fees. I tend to assume that all magical children are given 
the chance to go to Hogwarts - whether their parents like it or not. 
I'll make an exception for Dudley though, who I still maintain is a 
good candidate for the finding magic later in life. I think it 
perfectly possible, that Dumbledore in ensuring Harry's future, 
would have traded off any rights Dudley might have had to a magical 
education. But, that idea is in previous posts.

Ali

(Who is still chewing over the idea of Vernon as the one with 
magical ability - although, that would only seem to work with the 
use of "Mimble Wimble" if he actually knew he had magical ability 
and knew the spell. It would seem a funny phrase for even a 
frightened Vernon, to say by accident.)