NOVEMBER 15, 2021 — Earlier this month, The University of Texas at San Antonio submitted its biennial tuition and fees proposal to the University of Texas System. In a previous message to students, university leadership outlined the process for tuition and fees proposals.
The proposal for fiscal years 2023 and 2024 focuses on key strategies designed to increase cost predictability for better planning, as well as support for increased services for student success, while also reflecting the university’s commitment to minimizing student debt, keeping college affordable and supporting need-based students.
Notably, UTSA proposed a move to a differential tuition model that will support college-specific services while eliminating numerous college-level course fees. Differential tuition is tuition charged by the college, in addition to the university’s base tuition, to support services and programming for students in that college. Currently, three colleges already use a differential tuition model: the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, the College of Engineering and Integrated Design, and the College of Sciences.
Differential tuition supports UTSA’s strategic efforts to provide quality educational programs to all students, regardless of major. This tuition model simplifies tuition and fees billing and allows students and families to better plan for their educational costs each semester, increasing clarity on full cost of attendance. If the proposal is approved, UTSA will expand and update differential tuition for all academic colleges. In doing so, the university will be able to eliminate 45 college-level course fees.
The proposal also puts forth changes to several mandatory fees. In particular, the cost of the learning management system used by all students would shift from the Digital Learning Fee, which is charged only to courses with online and hybrid divs, to the Teaching and Learning Fee, which is charged to all students as a per semester fee.
Proposed increases will support enhanced financial support for students, investment in resources that improve student success and continual integration of essential technology and equipment in classrooms. The proposal demonstrates the university’s ongoing commitment to expanding student support services and enhancing the Roadrunner experience, while ensuring cost of attendance remains affordable.
UTSA sets aside substantial aid funding to benefit students who are less advantaged financially. A prime example is the Bold Promise program, in which qualifying freshmen whose families have a median annual income of less than $70,000 pay zero in tuition and fees. Learn more about guiding principles and commitment to affordability in the tuition and fees presentation.
Input from across the university was essential to the proposal process. Academic colleges held meetings with student advisory committees to solicit feedback, and UTSA leadership met with key groups, including the Student Government Association, to gather additional feedback and refine the proposal.
The Board of Regents will consider finalized proposals for approval in February 2022. Additional details, including the full proposal, can be found on the university’s Tuition and Fees website.
