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Òùµ´ÉÙ¸¾ Freezes Tuition for 2018-19
Full-time VWU students will pay the same rate of tuition in 2018-19
News Release | March 15, 2018
Full-time Òùµ´ÉÙ¸¾ students will pay the same rate of tuition in the 2018-19 academic year as they do in the current year, thanks to a freeze on tuition approved by the Board of Trustees, said VWU President Scott D. Miller. The last time Virginia Wesleyan instituted a tuition freeze was 20 years ago in 1998.
“We recognize that higher education is a substantial investment for students and their families,” Dr. Miller said. “At their winter meeting last month, our Trustees reaffirmed the importance of affordability and access to quality higher education. It is essential for us to work with our students and their families to make that possible.”
Data provided by the show the average cost of a four-year state school in 2017-18 is approximately $23,000. The cost to attend Virginia Wesleyan is right in line with that figure at $23,000 once the average institutional award of $22,000 is applied—and almost all of Virginia Wesleyan’s 1,500 students receive some form of institutionally funded financial support.
The College Board, a not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity and works to expand access to higher education, provides the latest data and information on trends over time in student aid, tuition, and other expenses associated with attending college.
According to The College Board's report for 2017-18:
- The average increase for in-state tuition and fees in the public four-year sector increased by 3.1 percent from 2016-2017 to 2017-18, while private nonprofit four-year institutions rose by 3.6 percent.
- The average annual price at private nonprofit four-year institutions increased by $1,220 within the last year.
- Over the last decade, in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions have increased at an average rate of 3.2 percent per year, while private nonprofit four-year institutions have seen an average increase of 2.4 percent.
Virginia Wesleyan has adopted a wide variety of measures to remain affordable and financially support students. In addition to capping tuition and fees at their current level, the University has established an on-campus student work program; launched the Batten Honors College, which fully or partially funds 40 new academically talented students each year; widened access to early- and dual-enrollment programs; and expanded institutional grants and scholarships. VWU offers competitive financial aid packages and assists studenidentifying other sources of aid as well, with 98 percent of students receiving financial aid. Special discounted tuition is also offered for students in the and , where rates are almost 75 percent less than tuition for traditional day students.
Virginia Wesleyan has also fought for expansion of the state's Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) for students who reside in the Commonwealth. TAG annually supports educational opportunities for approximately 900 Virginia Wesleyan students and their families, many of whom may otherwise be unable to afford the cost of a private education.
“Affordability will continue to be in the forefront of our planning at Virginia Wesleyan,” said President Miller. “A tuition freeze for 2018-19 is just one of many actions we are employing to help our students and their families benefit from the lifelong value of a world-class education.”