Non-Florida residents will pay more to attend the state’s highest-performing institution of higher education, Florida International University.

Trustees at FIU voted Wednesday to raise tuition for out-of-state students by 10%, starting this fall.

“The proposed increase will help offset growing costs and ensure the sustained quality of education at FIU,” board vice chair Marc Sarnoff said during the virtual meeting Wednesday.

Undergraduate out-of-state students taking 30 credit hours at FIU during the coming school year will pay an increase of about $1,240, or $39 per credit hour. The out-of-state financial aid fee is rising, too, by $58.

Graduate students from outside the state will pay about $1,334 more in the coming year, based on a 24 credit-hour schedule.

The raise applies to undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

The Board of Governors approved last month a rule allowing universities to raise out-of-state tuition this academic year and next.

The maximum increase this year is 10%. Next year, institutions may vote to increase out-of-state tuition by 15%.

According to a State University System report, undergraduate out-of-state tuition has not increased since 2012, when the University of South Florida raised tuition. The University of West Florida has not raised out-of-state tuition since 2006.

In-state tuition has remained the same since 2013.

According to that report, only North Dakota and South Dakota charge lower out-of-state tuition.

“This [out-of-state] fee maintains the quality and competitiveness of academic offerings and student services in the face of rising operational costs. The purpose of this increase is to align out-of-state student contributions with the cost of providing instruction, facilities, and services at FIU,” campus officials wrote in a letter to students last month.

Raising more money

A 10% increase is expected to generate $6.8 million more for FIU.

University of Central Florida will vote on a 10% increase Thursday, as will USF. Those schools stand to generate nearly $10 million each, if approved.

Last week, University of Florida trustees approved a 10% increase for out-of-state students, increasing estimated revenue by $18.8 million. FSU did, too, expecting to generate an estimated $9.7 million.

Last month, the Board of Governors approved institutions to tap into auxiliary funds to pay college athletes.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

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