The cost of attending UNI has once again increased. The Iowa Board of Regents recently approved increasing UNI in-state undergraduate tuition to $7,665 from the 2017 academic year rate of $7,456; a 2.8 percent increase. The tuition hike continues a trend of increasing rates in recent years in which an in-state undergraduate yearly tuition bill has increased over $1,000 since 2015, when yearly undergraduate tuition ran at $6,648, according to UNI’s website. The tuition numbers do not include mandatory university fees.

The 2.8 percent increase was actually lower than the projected rate increases listed by a Tuition Task Force and UNI President Mark Nook in 2017, which projected a best-case-scenario increase of 3.9 percent. The lower than expected hike may be due to UNI avoiding a proposed $3.7 million mid-year cut during the spring 2018 semester.

Northern Iowa Student Government President Drew Stensland, Vice President Kristen Ahart, and Communications Director David Konsfrst said in a statement,

“Reducing any hike in tuition has been a leading priority for this NISG administration since entering office… At the last Board of Regents meeting, UNI received a 2.8% tuition increase, a full percent lower than both Iowa and Iowa State at 3.8%. This is the first year UNI had a differentiated raise. While any kind of tuition increase creates more of a financial burden on students pursuing academic success, this provided an advantage to UNI to keep our rate more affordable compared to the other peer institutions.”

The statement continued, “This administration favors gradual increases so students can better prepare for future costs rather than drastic increases, and we will continue to use every resource available to make college more affordable to students. To accomplish this, Director of Governmental Relations Matt Johnson and the Legislative Liaison Team will continue to make regular trips to the capital in the upcoming legislative session…. NISG will continue to work hard to ensure that student interests are heard and remain optimistic about the results that will carry into the future.”