University proposes second year of tuition guarantee

In a proposal to the Board of Trustees this week, costs for incoming Ohio freshmen will lock in for four years with a 1.4 percent inflation-based increase.

This incoming class joins the university in the second year of the Ohio State Tuition Guarantee. Last year’s freshman class was the inaugural group for the guarantee, which covers in-state tuition, fees, housing and dining. In addition, in-state tuition remains frozen at all campuses for continuing students who started prior to autumn 2017. Next year’s graduates will be the fourth class to complete degrees without experiencing a tuition increase.

Tuition proposals for 2018-19 will go before the Board of Trustees this week.

The Ohio State Tuition Guarantee program provides students and families with predictability about the cost of a four-year education — and is part of Ohio State’s continued strategic focus on access, affordability and excellence.

Tuition remains at or below the median for Big Ten public institutions. At the same time, the university has increased financial aid substantially, committing more than $100 million to support low- and moderate-income families since 2015. These commitments include:

• The Buckeye Opportunity Program — Beginning this fall in Columbus, the initiative ensures that financial aid will cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for thousands of low- and moderate-income Ohio students who qualify for federal Pell Grants. Last week, the university announced a customized expansion of the program to Ohio State’s five regional campuses.
• President’s Affordability Grants — Ohio State will invest $25 million this year in affordability grants for in-state students. The popular program, now in its fourth year, supports more than 15,000 students annually at all Ohio State campuses.
• Land Grant Opportunity Scholarships — Last year, the university expanded the scholarships to cover the total cost of attendance. This fall, the program will double in size, offering 176 scholarships each year.

Additionally this fall, Ohio State will provide an iPad Pro with learning and living technology tools to each new first-year student in Columbus and on the regional campuses. Part of the Digital Flagship collaboration with Apple, the initiative is designed to enhance classroom learning and the student experience throughout the university.

In-state tuition and fees in Columbus would total $10,726 per year through 2021-22 for incoming first-year students. Including the most common housing and dining plans, the total rate for the guarantee would be $23,160.

In-state tuition under the guarantee would be set at $7,644 for the Lima, Mansfield, Marion and Newark campuses and $7,608 at the Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster. Most regional campus students do not live on campus.

Rates included in the guarantee remain frozen for last year’s incoming class through 2020-21. For these students, in-state tuition and fees remain $10,592 in Columbus; $7,553 for the Lima, Mansfield, Marion and Newark campuses; and $7,517 in Wooster.

Additional tuition and fee proposals include:

• The non-resident surcharge will be increased 4.8 percent for undergraduates. The total cost of non-resident tuition and fees in Columbus is among the most affordable in the Big Ten, placing below the median for Ohio State’s peer group.
• Housing and dining rates will increase by 1.5 percent for students who are not part of the original Ohio State Tuition Guarantee cohort. The most popular plans on the Columbus campus will cost $12,434, compared with $12,252 for 2017-18 rates.
• To cover the cost of third-party health coverage, student health insurance will increase 8.7 percent. Most U.S. students utilize private insurance instead of utilizing the coverage obtained through the university.