Illustrations: Luo Xuan/GT

A university in North China raised eyebrows after making students pay through their nose for accommodation. Students of Northeastern University's Qinhuangdao branch in Hebei Province were shocked to find that they would have to pay 16,640 yuan ($2325) for the upcoming semester, almost 30 times the national average. For public university students, the expense is only around 1,200 yuan ($168) per year. Last year, the hostel expense at the university was 5,740 yuan ($800). Facing public outrage, the school explained that as the limited campus space cannot house all the students, certain students have made their "personal choice" to be lodged in dorm rooms outsourced to private companies. But do those students, without access to places of residence inside the campus, have extra options other than choosing the expensive dormitory? Local government of Qinhuangdao has already helped conduct the investigation, and we hope a satisfactory result can be reached.