The University of Rhode Island raised tuition 3.5% in the fourth consecutive year of tuition increases.
Tuition will rise to $17,476 a year for in-state students, and $39,398 for out of state students, according to WPRI.
While the university attempts “to keep it [tuition] as low as possible,” the rising costs of housing, dining and labor contribute to the need for tuition hikes, according to Dean Libutti, associate vice president for enrollment management and student success. Every year, students are asked to pay more in order to fund facilities, faculty staff, heating and labor costs.
Jasmin Sanches, a fourth-year political science student from Nevada, has noticed a significant increase in her bills over the past four years. Her dining plan rose from $2,400 for the standard plan in 2022 to $2,675 for the campus standard plan this year.
With scholarships from the Obama Foundation and the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, Sanches almost fully covered her tuition and living expenses. Without these scholarships, she would not be able to afford studying at URI.
“I’ve always worked on campus, but now it’s more like making sure not to spend recklessly to be able to afford it,” Sanches said.
To help with the weight of added tuition, the university is investing $136 million in scholarships supported by new donors, according to Libutti.
Student tuition also contributes to maintaining URI’s facilities, according to Libutti. Many of the major building projects, such as the new life sciences building, are funded through donations, which are a crucial help in stabilizing tuition cost. These donations help to guarantee the URI can continue to provide high-quality education and services without making students pay excessive tuition.
To help alleviate tuition rises, Libutti suggests that students participate in the J-Term or summer programs.
“The cost is reduced and it is a good opportunity to catch up,” Libutti said.
Reducing the overall number of semesters required to graduate, students can also save money on tuition as students benefit from a discount, according to Libutti. The associate vice president stated that in utilizing the J-Term and summer program, 10% of students have graduated early.
Despite the increase in tuition, URI’s application rate continues to grow, as the university received 26,800 first-year undergraduate applications for the fall semester of 2024, a 5.5% increase from the previous year, according to the university’s website.
With the second- lowest tuition among public universities in New England, the administration is optimistic that the rise in costs will not impact the number of student applications.
“URI is worth the investment,” Libutti said.
