Tuition will increase between 1.5 and 7 percent for students at the University of Minnesota next fall after the Board of Regents approved President Eric Kaler’s budget Wednesday.
Under the budget, out-of-state undergraduates will experience the steepest jump, at 7 percent, while resident undergraduates will see an increase of 1.5 percent. Resident graduate and professional students will be asked to pay between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent more.
With increases in fees and room and board, resident undergraduates will pay $420 more per year.
But while the tuition increase is expected to cost an extra $180 a year for resident undergraduates, 42 percent of them will see that jump offset by an increase in financial aid, according to the budget.
The hike in nonresident tuition comes after debate from legislators and some regents surfaced over the difference in nonresident and resident tuition, which is more than $8,000.
Originally slated to be higher, projected tuition hikes were lowered after the state legislature gave the University $22 million to freeze tuition — even though the school requested around $65 million the University said was needed for the freeze.
“Tuition has increased over the past decade, largely due to state disinvestment,” Kaler said at a Board of Regents meeting Wednesday. “This year legislators chose not to fund our entire request, although we were unequivocal throughout the session that not doing so would result in tuition increases.”