UNED: 12 courses for €2,000, only 2 exams taken

Twelve courses, two exams and nearly €2,000: the chronicle of a shipwreck at UNED

In September, motivation plays tricks. A UNED student enrolled in twelve courses at once, paid out nearly €2,000 and, months later, only managed to sit two exams. The story doesn't end there: the price of retaking those courses skyrockets. Is the university system a scam or the result of overambition?

The bill for studying non-stop

UNED, Spain's public distance university, allows students to enrol in as many courses as they want. But it doesn't warn of the risks: each failed attempt makes the next enrolment more expensive. In this case, the student found that courses he had already attempted in 2021 cost him double. And triple if he failed again. A penalty mechanism that, for many, turns a mistake into a disproportionate financial punishment.

Defenders of the system argue that it is a measure to prevent places from being taken up and to encourage perseverance. But the regulations, which vary by university, can turn a stumble into a silent debt: the cost of studying non-stop isn't seen in the enrolment, it's seen in the next one.

Brain fog, ELbichito or lack of planning

The student claims that "brain fog" prevented him from performing. Memory loss, difficulty concentrating and extreme fatigue, symptoms that some link to long ELbichito. Others, however, see not an illness but a pattern of procrastination: enrolling in twelve courses without a realistic plan is the perfect recipe for failure.

Opinions are divided: those who blame the student for trying to take on too much and those who point out that UNED doesn't do enough to guide students, with in-person exams and syllabuses that seem stuck in another era.

Alternatives: UOC, artificial intelligence and the value of a degree

The conversation drifts towards alternatives. UOC, another online university, appears as a more flexible option, though also more expensive. And a recurring point: artificial intelligence allows you to "get" a degree without studying, according to some. That says little about the value of degrees and a lot about a job market that, often, will ask for the paper even if no one can prove what's behind it.

The question left hanging: if knowledge is obtained for free with AI and universities make retakes more expensive, what exactly are they selling? The degree, of course, weighs less and less.