Mar 28, 2019

Board of Regents Sets 2019-20 Tuition Rates

Under the adopted structure, tuition for CSU students will increase by 5 percent while mandatory university fees will be held flat and room fee increases will be capped at 2.5 percent

The Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) today voted unanimously to set tuition and fees for the four Connecticut State Universities (CSUs) and Charter Oak State College (COSC). Under the adopted structure, tuition for CSU students will increase by 5 percent while mandatory university fees will be held flat and room fee increases will be capped at 2.5 percent. All told, CSU average tuition and fees will increase by $479 or 4.4 percent for an in-state undergraduate commuter student and by $860 or 3.6 percent for in-state residential students. Tuition for COSC students will increase by 2.9 percent, while fees will increase by 4.2 percent.

“Tuition increases are always a last resort, and the board did not take this decision lightly,” Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) President Mark Ojakian said. “We have always maintained that we would not balance budgets on the backs of students, and this step is no exception. Even despite the increase, we anticipate drawing down on up to $20 million in university reserves. Our state colleges and universities are and will continue to be the most affordable and accessible option for Connecticut students to receive quality and affordable higher education.”

Governor Ned Lamont’s budget proposal calls for flat funding plus partial coverage of SEBAC raises. Without additional state funding, this tuition increase is expected to leave universities with a budget gap of approximately $20 million. The ultimate shortfall will be closed with use of reserves, campus spending reductions, or a combination.

CSUs	In-State	Out of State
Tuition	5.0%	5.0%
University Fee	0.0%	-5.0%	*
University General Fee	Up to 5%	Up to 5%	**
Room Fee	2.5%	2.5%
Food Service Fee	3.6%	3.6%	***
COSC	In-State	Out of State
Tuition	2.9%	2.7%
Fees	4.2%	4.5%	****

* Held flat except out of state may be reduced by up to 5% to address competition
** May exceed 5% to rectify inconsistencies in tuition and fee schedules
*** Based on contractual costs
**** Mandatory fees

The system-wide average tuition and fees for the CSUs will be $11,417 for in-state commuter students and $24,716 for resident students for the 2019-20 academic year. The average COSC student will pay $319 per credit in the 2019-20 academic year. Tuition for community colleges has not yet been set and is expected to be decided at the April BOR meeting.