University of Missouri

University Communications

Spectrum

Volume 35, Number 2, May 2008

University of Missouri increases tuition and fees 4.1 percent

The University of Missouri Board of Curators voted April 4 to increase tuition rates for undergraduate and graduate students 4.1 percent beginning with the 2008 summer session.

The tuition increase is based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index and represents an annual adjustment in base tuition of $291 for an undergraduate student enrolled for 15 hours per semester before any related enrollment fees. Base tuition for a full-time Missouri undergraduate student would increase to $7,368, from $7,077.

Tuition increases for professional school students will range from zero to 4.1 percent, with the exception of Veterinary Medicine on the Columbia campus, which will increase by 5.1 percent. The additional funds for Veterinary Medicine will be used to support the maintenance of teaching and research facilities and faculty to remain competitive with comparator schools.

“We are pleased to hold our tuition increases to the rate of inflation,” said UM System Vice President for Finance and Administration Nikki Krawitz. “A survey of tuition by the College Board of public four-year colleges and universities showed an average increase of 6.6 percent in academic year 2008 and 6.2 percent in 2007. In those same years, the University of Missouri had tuition increases of 3.8 percent and 5 percent, respectively.”

Supplemental and other enrollment fees for undergraduate, graduate and professional students also will increase 4.1 percent. Separate fee rates will be established for the LLM program at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. There will be no increases in the course fee for the School of Education and the nursing course fee for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Base tuition, as approved by the board of curators, is often thought of as the sticker price, Krawitz said. To get a clear understanding of the actual cost to Missouri resident undergraduate students, it is important to factor in scholarships, or grant aid. The most recent data from the university’s fiscal year 2006 financial aid study showed full-time Missouri resident undergraduate students attending the University of Missouri received on average $3,952 in grant aid. Assuming grant aid continues to increase at the same rate as it has the last three years, a comparable level of grant aid to be applied to the FY2009 tuition would be $4,642. When this grant aid is applied to the FY2009 tuition base, the amount a student would pay on average is $2,726.

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