May 12, 2017

VCU Board of Visitors sets 2017-2018 tuition and fees

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By Mike Porter

The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors today approved a budget for 2017-18 that includes an increase in tuition and mandatory fees of 3.8 percent for in-state undergraduate students.

The budget supports the highest priorities of VCU’s strategic plan, Quest for Distinction, which emphasizes academic quality and student success. The budget also provides a $5.1 million increase in university-funded financial aid to students and includes more than $12 million for the state-approved raise for faculty and staff. Even with the increase, a $3.8 million budget gap remains, which will be addressed at the unit level across the university.

“To be certain, this is a lean budget that addresses unavoidable academic and operational costs and focuses on our highest priority needs,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “We are mindful of the cost and burden on students and their families and have increased the amount of university financial aid to students. We are also mindful that we must provide a quality education expected by high-performing students at a major public research university. This is what our students expect and deserve.” 

Typical in-state undergraduate students enrolled in 15 credits per semester will pay $13,624 in tuition and mandatory fees in the 2017-18 academic year, which represents a 3.8 percent or $494 increase. Out-of-state undergraduate students’ tuition and mandatory fees are set at $33,656, a 4.2 percent or $1,369 increase. Included in the increase for out-of-state students is a state-mandated capital outlay fee, which will increase to $660, an increase of $35 or 5.6 percent.

Full-time Virginia undergraduate students enrolled prior to fall 2013 who are under the block schedule tuition model will see an increase of $404 in tuition and mandatory fees. Out-of-state students paying under the block schedule tuition model will pay $1,129 more.

The block schedule undergraduate tuition model will be discontinued beginning in fall 2018.

The board approved other rate increases for the academic year, including those for advanced degrees, housing, dining and parking rates. More information can be found at budget.vcu.edu and mytuition.vcu.edu.