2010 – 2012 Tuition and Fee Rates Approved by UT System Regents

AUSTIN – The University of Texas System Board of Regents today (March 3) approved tuition and fee rates for the next two academic years at University of Texas institutions.

The rates were approved following a review of tuition and fee proposals submitted to the Regents by the campuses earlier this year.

The approved tuition and mandatory academic fee increases for full-time resident undergraduate students at the nine academic institutions amounted to 3.95 percent or $280 per academic year, whichever was greater. Five academic institution proposals also included student-initiated fees – such as fees to fund new student services and recreational facilities – which were proposed by the students themselves and have been approved through student referenda, thus increasing the total costs at those institutions.

Should available funding change, the Board stated it would reassess the approved tuition and fee rates of the UT System academic institutions for the 2011-12 academic year to ensure excellence in the education, research and service missions of the institutions. Read the Board motion with regard to the academic institution tuition and fee proposals.

Regents approved tuition and fee rates for the five health institutions for the 2010-11 academic year only. The health institutions were asked to submit new tuition and fee proposals for the 2011-12 academic year. Read the Board motion with regard to the health institution tuition and fee proposals.

The approved rates for the nine academic institutions are for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years and may be viewed online.

“We believe these increases allow us to strike a delicate balance between our efforts to keep student costs affordable and to provide our institutions with the essential resources needed to keep them competitive with their peers while continuing to advance excellence,” said Regents’ Chairman James R. Huffines. “We believe these increases to be appropriate. And, we know that our financial aid programs will ensure that our students from low- and middle-income families will be buffered from these increases.”

The plans approved by the Regents continue to include a variety of incentives to encourage students to graduate on time by taking more semester credit hours in each term they are enrolled. Tuition and fees are used to enhance student services and academic programs, such as hiring additional faculty and advisers, reducing class sizes, and repairing and renovating campus buildings.

“These increases represent thoughtful, responsible planning on the part of students, faculty and administrators, and the increases will allow our academic and health institutions to continue on an upward trajectory for the benefit of our students,” UT System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., said. "As the UT System and its institutions continue to identify additional cost saving initiatives during a difficult economic climate, we believe that the proposed increases in tuition and fees are necessary to continue to provide the highest quality education needed for our state to strengthen the workforce and the economy.  It is imperative that we enhance excellence so that our graduates and Texas can move forward and we can continue to build an institution of the first class."

“Education is a responsibility shared among our institutions, our Legislature and our students and their families. An investment in higher education and health care is an investment in the future of Texas because it contributes to an educated and healthy citizenry and stimulates knowledge-based, sustainable economic development.  The quality of education and health care determines the quality of life and vibrancy of our great state,” Cigarroa added.

The UT System Access & Affordability Web site contains information and resource links on financial aid, how tuition is used, and campus cost-saving initiatives. The Web site also includes new profiles of current students at each of the UT System’s nine academic campuses who overcame challenges associated with financing their college educations.

About The University of Texas System

Serving the educational and health care needs of Texans for more than 125 years, The University of Texas System is one of the nation’s largest higher education systems, with nine academic campuses and six health institutions. The UT System has an annual operating budget of $11.9 billion (FY 2010) including $2.5 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. Preliminary student enrollment exceeded 202,000 in the 2009 academic year. The UT System confers more than one-third of the state's undergraduate degrees and educates nearly three-fourths of the state's health care professionals annually. With more than 84,000 employees, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.