Policy & Regulation

Chapter 05.10 - Tuition and Student Fees

Regents' Policy  |  University Regulation

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REGENTS’ POLICY
PART V – FINANCE AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Chapter 05.10 - Tuition and Student Fees

P05.10.010. General Principles for Tuition and Fees.

The constitution of the State of Alaska provides for the establishment of the University of Alaska, governed by a Board of Regents and state law provides that the board may approve tuition rates and fees. The establishment of a state university recognizes the importance of higher education to the state collectively and its citizens individually. It is reasonable, therefore, for both the state, through appropriation to the university, and for students, through the payment of tuition and fees, to provide for the financial support necessary to offer programs of higher education in Alaska. The Board of Regents must balance this financial support through its budgetary request to the state, and the setting of tuition and fees as provided in this chapter.

Tuition revenues will be used primarily to maintain and expand the educational opportunities provided to students, to preserve and improve the quality of existing programs and support services, to respond to enrollment trends, and to implement new programs.

Student fees should have a direct relationship to the associated service, activity, or course and be based upon the estimated actual cost of providing the service or benefit.

The board will set tuition and fees with the following objectives:

  1. to provide for essential support of the university’s instructional programs; 
  2. to make higher education accessible and affordable to all Alaskans and other students who wish to benefit from University of Alaska course offerings by considering student financial capacity including total financial aid (scholarships, grants, waivers and loans), and considering the total debt incurred by students;
  3. to consider tuition rates and student fees in the context of education quality and program demand;
  4. to maintain tuition and student fees at levels which are competitive with similarly situated programs; 
  5. to provide transparency for students and stakeholders on the cost of higher education at the University of Alaska; and 
  6. to provide a framework for setting differential tuition that may (a) reflect the different missions of the major university units (b) acknowledge differing costs of instruction by student level (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, community campus) (c) distinguish between residents and nonresidents, (d) reflect costs of modes of delivery (e.g., online, face-to-face, hybrid) and (e) reflect university standing within a regional or national higher education context with peer institutions; 
  7. to ensure consistent tuition to meet the community college mission of the university.

(11-10-22)

P05.10.020. Definitions.

In this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise: 

  1. Course levels 
    1. “lower division courses,” for purposes of tuition assessment, mean courses with designators lower than 300, including 100- and 200-level and developmental education courses. 
    2. “upper division courses,” for purposes of tuition assessment, mean courses classified as 300- and 400-level.
    3. “graduate courses,” for purposes of tuition assessment, mean post-baccalaureate courses classified as 600-level. 
    4. “professional development courses,” for purposes of tuition assessment, mean courses classified as 500-level that are designed to meet professional development and other continuing education requirements. 
  2. “dependent child or children” means an unmarried natural or adopted child who is financially dependent upon the subject individual for support, and who is under 24 years of age. 
  3. “self-support courses" are those noncredit courses offered with the intent of full cost recovery to the university for all expenses incurred in offering the course.
  4. "student fees" are charges to students for specific purposes, including student government fees, course fees, use and service fees, and administrative fees; as defined in this section. 
    1. “administrative fees” are those fees that are assessed for administrative services such as processing applications, certifications, adding and dropping of courses, transcripts, and other similar activities. 
    2. “course fees” are those fees that are specific to a particular course, including fees for enrollment in noncredit courses, material fees, lab fees, individualized instruction fees, supplemental self-support fees for summer school, special for- credit programs and courses, and course-specific facility and equipment use and other fees. 
    3. “student activity fees” are intended to contribute to a well-rounded student education for life by supporting student government, promoting educational, cultural, recreational, and social activities.
    4. “student government fees” are those fees assessed to support recognized student government organizations and the programs and activities administered through such organizations. 
    5. “use and service fees” are those fees assessed to support services and activities such as parking, auxiliary services, recreation center, health center, insurance, technology enhancement, and similar activities, but which are not course specific. 
  5. "tuition" is the base institutional charge for enrollment in a course offered for credit at the university; it represents the student’s core contribution to the cost of the student’s education at the university and is not directly related to the cost of any specific course or program. Tuition is generally assessed on a per-student credit hour (credit) rate.
    1. “regular tuition” is the amount approved by the board for resident and nonresident tuition as distinguished from special tuition or surcharges.
      1. “resident tuition” is the tuition cost universities may assess on students meeting Alaska residency requirements or other students exempted from paying nonresident tuition as stated in this policy or regulation. 
      2. “nonresident tuition” is the tuition cost universities may assess on students not meeting Alaska residency requirements or otherwise exempted in this policy or regulation. 
    2. “tuition surcharge” is a supplement to tuition for a specified purpose, course, or program that has been approved in accordance with this policy or regulation. 
    3. “special tuition” is a single charge that may include tuition, tuition surcharges, or discounts.

(11-10-22)

P05.10.030. Authority to Set Tuition Rates.

Regular tuition rates shall be established or changed only by action of the board or as provided in this chapter. Tuition rates may vary to reflect (a) the different missions of the major university units (b) central urban campuses, community colleges, extended community campuses, and other sites, (c) differing costs of instruction by student level (e.g., lower division, upper division, and graduate courses), (d) distinctions between Alaska residents and nonresidents, (e) costs of modes of delivery (e.g., online, face-to-face, hybrid), (f) university standing within a regional or national higher education context with peer institutions, and (g) different program or course costs or demands. Any such proposed differentiation of tuition rates shall be accompanied by an explicit statement of justification or rationale that considers the objectives laid out in P05.10.010., and includes an analysis of the potential impacts of the differential tuition rates on programs, campuses, colleges, and the university system.

(11-10-22)

P05.10.040. Special Tuition and Tuition Surcharges.

  1. The president may establish special tuition, tuition surcharges, and/or fees in lieu of, or in addition to, regular tuition in order to meet special needs or for special for-credit courses and programs. The president shall give advance notice of such charges to the board. The president may delegate this authority and responsibility to chancellors by University Regulation.
  2. The difference between regular tuition and special tuition shall be treated as fees, for purposes including but not limited to calculation of financial aid, employee benefits, scholarship benefits, general tuition waivers, and eligible costs, as well as for other Regents’ Policy, University Regulation, procedures, and publications.

(11-10-22)

P05.10.060. Tuition Rates.

  1. The president shall notify the board of recommended changes in regular tuition rates prior to the first meeting of the board after September 1 of the year preceding the year in which the proposed changes will take effect, approximately one academic year before the effective date. This notice shall include the rationale and justification for the proposed changes.
  2. The board shall act on the recommendation of the president after reasonable opportunity is provided for student, staff, and faculty discussion, comment, input, and public testimony. The board will take no action on regular tuition rates at meetings that occur during semester examinations, holidays, or summer periods, except in extraordinary circumstances. In setting regular tuition rates, the board may consider the recommendations of the administration, the college advisory councils, student leadership, the level of local or community support for the respective campus, and other factors that the board deems appropriate.
  3. A table of approved resident and nonresident tuition rates will be published in University Regulation.
  4. Notwithstanding A-C of this section and other provisions of this policy, the board reserves the right to change tuition rates at any time, with or without notice, in such amounts as the board, in its sole judgment, considers appropriate and in the best interest of the university.
  5. At the first meeting of the board after September 1, the president shall provide an annual review of tuition rates across the system and an evaluation of whether the rates are meeting the objectives set out in P05.10.010.

(11-10-22)

P05.10.070. Student Fees.

  1. Student fees, including student government fees, shall be established and approved by the president. The president may delegate this authority and responsibility to the chancellors or the chancellor’s designees
  2. In general, student fees should have a direct relationship to the associated service, activity, or course and be based upon the estimated cost of providing the services or benefit. These fees should not exceed, on a long-term basis, the actual cost of the service or activity for which the fee is assessed. Course fees and use and service fees shall be charged only for the purpose of meeting expenses beyond those normally covered by tuition at the respective campus. In certain instances, however, certain administrative fees may be established at amounts unrelated to the cost of providing the service in order to encourage or discourage specific behavior or usage, or to accomplish other administrative or programmatic objectives.
  3. The president shall promulgate University Regulations or issue directives for establishing and approval of student fees, the periodic or continuing review of such fees, and reporting to the board. 
  4. The purpose of student activity fees is to contribute to a well-rounded student education for life by supporting student government and promoting educational, cultural, recreational, and social activities. 
  5. The board reserves to the administration the right to assess, collect, disburse, and audit student activity fees from any and all students, whether or not there exists an officially recognized organization for student self-government. 
  6. Once a student activity fee is established, payment of the fee is mandatory. Normally, the appropriation, collection, and disbursement of student activity fees shall be governed by such guidelines as developed by the respective student government organization and the appropriate chancellor or the chancellor’s designees.

(11-10-22)

P05.10.080. Tuition and Fee Waivers.

  1. The president or respective chancellors may waive regular tuition or student fees, in full or in part, when the president determines such action to be in the best interest of the university. When this action is material, the president shall notify the board. 
  2. Regular tuition shall be waived for Alaska residents who are age 65 or greater on the first day of class and who have registered on a space-available basis. “Space available basis” means when courses can accommodate such students in addition to other enrolled students. Otherwise eligible Alaska residents under this section who register for classes on any basis other than a space available basis shall not be entitled to a waiver under this section. 
  3. Consistent with AS 14.43.085 and as provided herein and in University Regulation, undergraduate resident or nonresident tuition and fees of for-credit courses, mandatory student fees will be waived for an eligible child or spouse of: 
    1. a member of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska Naval Militia, or the armed services of the United States who died in the line of duty or who died as a result of injuries sustained while in the line of duty or who was listed by the United States Department of Defense as a prisoner of war or missing in action. The member must either: reside in Alaska for at least one year prior to service and list Alaska as the “home of record” for purposes of military records; or have been a legal resident of Alaska for one year at the time of death or listing as missing or prisoner of war; or 
    2. a firefighter employed by a federal, state, or municipal fire department located in Alaska, or performing duties for a regularly organized volunteer fire department registered with the state fire marshal, who died from an act arising out of and in the course of employment or duties as a volunteer firefighter; or 
    3. a state trooper, municipal police officer, village or regional public safety officer, U.S. marshal or deputy marshal, corrections officer, or other officers whose duty is to enforce and preserve public peace in Alaska, who died from an act arising out of and in the course of employment.

(11-10-22)

UNIVERSITY REGULATION
PART V – FINANCE AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Chapter 05.10 - Tuition and Student Fees

R05.10.030. Authority to Set Tuition Rates.

  1. Basis of Charge: Students will be charged tuition on a per credit hour basis depending on the level of the courses taken, rather than upon the student’s class standings. For example, a graduate student taking an undergraduate course will be charged tuition for that course at an undergraduate tuition rate. 
  2. Community Colleges and Extended Community Campuses: Tuition rates at a community college or an extended community campus may differ from the rates set for the regional campus centers. Requests for differential rates must be submitted by the respective chancellor to the university president prior to September 30 of the second preceding academic year. The request should include the proposed tuition rate, the revenue impact of the proposed change in rates, the rationale or justification for the differential rate, the level of local or community support for the campus, and the recommendation of the campus advisory council. This procedure does not apply to the annual inflation or other standardized rate adjustments. 
  3. Summer School: Summer school tuition rates will be the same as those established for the regular fall semester; however, a self-support fee for summer school may be charged at the discretion of the respective chancellor. 
  4. Independent Learning (Correspondence Study): Tuition will be charged at amounts equal to the resident tuition rate. 
  5. WWAMI Medical Education Program: Tuition for students enrolled in the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program will be set at the amount charged by the University of Washington to residents of the state of Washington. 
  6. Accounting for Tuition Receipts: Tuition receipts will be allocated or assigned to the campus or campuses that provide the program and program support necessary to earn the tuition. The university’s chief finance officer may issues guidelines and directives for the allocation or assignment of revenues.

    For purposes of this subsection, "campus" means:
    UAA UAA Anchorage Campus
      KPC Kachemak Bay Campus
    KPC Kenai-Soldotna Campus
    Kodiak College
    Matanuska-Susitna College
    Prince William Sound Community College
    SW Higher Education for Armed Forces 
    UAF Fairbanks Campus
      Bristol Bay Campus
    Chukchi Campus
    Interior Alaska Campus
    Kuskokwim Campus
    Northwest Campus
    Community and Technical College
    UAS Juneau Campus
      Ketchikan Campus
    Sitka Campus
  7. Installment or Deferred Payment Plans: The regional campus chief financial officer, or designee, may approve informal deferred payment arrangements based on the circumstances of individual students and groups or consolidated billings. Formal installment payment plans and deferred payment plans shall be approved prior to implementation by the university’s chief finance officer.

(06-04-10)

R05.10.040. Special Tuition and Tuition Surcharges.

  1. Universities considering a programmatic tuition surcharge for undergraduate or graduate programs must develop a compelling proposal for review and approval. The chancellor of the requesting campus will recommend to the president for approval a proposal that meets the following criteria:
    1. Quality of the student experience. The proposal will address how the programmatic tuition surcharge maintains an already high level of program quality or how it substantially increases the quality of the learning experience for participating students. 
    2. Program costs. The proposal must include a justification explaining the variance in the component program cost(s). This applies to cost of instructional delivery, faculty salaries and other contributing factors the chancellor deems pertinent. 
    3. Program demand, employment and earnings potential. The proposal must be based on factors such as program demand, graduate employment and program graduate earnings potential compared to a like program utilizing base or regular tuition funding of a non-specific nature. 
    4. Enrollment and affordability. The proposal must include a detailed analysis of:
      1. a. current enrollment, retention, graduation and affordability; 
      2. existing financial aid, scholarships and other funding support available within the program; 
      3. the impact of implementation.

        The analysis shall also include description of an advising process that enables the student to anticipate future cost increases and (if necessary) how to seek additional aid to cover the programmatic surcharge amount over base tuition.
    5. Peer and process review. A campus must use their protocols and procedures, and the guidance provided by these regulations, to formulate and review proposals. Reviews should include practices at peer institutions in the United States. Proposals will be presented to the Academic Council (AC) for vetting and to verify (or in some cases facilitate) cross system discussions that could result in surcharge alignment. AC will review each proposal and provide the president with their recommendation. 
    6. Student consultation. All proposals for existing programs must show evidence of consultation with students who will be affected. 
    7. Accountability. Tuition surcharge reviews which will include an operational analysis detailing resources, expenditures and outcomes under baseline and following implementation of the surcharge will follow the universities normal program review cycle.

(12-16-17)

R05.10.050. Nonresident Tuition Surcharge

  1. For purposes of United States active duty military and individuals receiving VA benefits, their eligibility for in-state tuition and fees shall be consistent with Regents’ Policy or requirements to maintain approval for VA education benefits under applicable law, whichever is more favorable. 
  2. Schedules of other states, provinces, and universities that exempt students from or waive nonresident tuition surcharges as described in Regents' Policy 05.10.050.H:
    1. Other states and provinces that exempt students from or waive nonresident tuition surcharges for Alaska residents:
      1. Yukon Territory
    2. Other universities that exempt students from or waive nonresident tuition surcharges based upon reciprocal agreements:
      1. UAF/Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Aviation Maintenance Technology Exchange Program. 
      2. UAF/University of Guam. 
      3. UAF/Aurora College, Northwest Territories.
  3. Schedule of foreign cities and provinces whose residents are eligible for exemption from the nonresident tuition surcharge in accordance with Regents' Policy 05.10.050.I:

    Country City or Province
    Argentina Ushuaia
    Australia Darwin
    Canada Inuvik; Prince Rupert; Whitehorse; Yellowknife
    China Harbin; Heilongjiang Province (sister state/province)
    England Whitby
    France Aix-les-Bains
    India Pune
    Italy Fanano
    Japan

    Chitose; Gero; Itadori-Mura; Kanayama-Gara; Mombetsu City;

    Myoto-Kogen; Nemuro; Noshiro; Obihiro; Saroma; Takienoue

    Town; Teshio
    Korea Inchon
    Mongolia Erdenet City
    Norway Hammerfest; Mo I Rana; Tromso
    Philippines Camiling; Kalibo
    Taiwan Tainan City; Taiwan Province (sister state/province)
    Russia Lavrentiya; Lenin District, Vladivostok; Magadan; Mirnyy;
    Noglicki; Okha; Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky; Providenya; Sereniki;
    Yakutsk; Yelisovo; Khabarovsk Region (sister state/province)
  4. Western Undergraduate Exchange Program: Nonresident students participating in the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) will be assessed a nonresident tuition surcharge as may be determined by the university’s chief finance officer at an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the general tuition charge.
  5. National Student Exchange Program: Tuition and fees for incoming and outgoing participants shall be charged in accordance with the terms and conditions of the National Student Exchange. In general, the student will pay resident tuition at either the student’s host or home institution depending upon the exchange plan selected.
  6. To prove physical presence in Alaska in accordance with Regents' Policy 05.10.025, a student must provide at least one of the following: 
    1. documentation that the student moved household goods to Alaska at least two years ago; 
    2. documentation of the lease, rental, or ownership of real property in Alaska for at least the prior two years; 
    3. documentation of permanent employment in Alaska for at least the prior two years; or 
    4. other indicia of Alaska residency for the two prior years deemed satisfactory by the MAU chief enrollment officer or designee. 
  7. Students applying for resident tuition assessment must file an application for resident tuition with the appropriate MAU admissions office prior to the published end of the add/drop period for regular semester-length courses for the semester for which residency is sought. Failure to file and provide adequate proof of physical presence by this date will waive any claim that the student was eligible for resident tuition assessment for that semester or prior semesters unless otherwise determined by the MAU chief enrollment officer. Applicants with prior documented Alaska residency will be granted a 60-day extension to the above deadline to prove their residency.

(12-15-17)

R05.10.060. Tuition Rates.

Tuition rates effective for the respective academic year, fall through summer semesters, are as follows: 

UAA and UAS AY2023 AY2024
Lower Division $234 $234
Upper Division $282 $282
Graduate $513 $513
Nonresident $566 $566

 

UAF AY2023 AY2024
CTC Tuition1 $234 $234
Undergrad 2Lower Division $2603 $2894
Undergrad 2Upper Division $289 $289
Graduate $539 $539
Nonresident Surcharge $566 $566

1 Applies to CTC, Bristol Bay, Chukchi, Interior Alaska, Kuskokwim, Northwest Campuses (all offerings are 100-200 lower division)
2 Applies to academic programs offered through Troth Yeddha’ (4-year baccalaureate).
3 In AY2023 Troth Yeddha’ had lower division undergraduate tuition at $260 and upper division undergraduate tuition at $289.
4 The UAF lower division and upper division tuition rates will be combined into a single rate to be called “undergraduate”.

(11-10-22)

R05.10.070. Student Fees.

  1. Student government fees shall be developed and administered in accordance with guidelines established by the student government in conjunction with the respective chancellor and approved in accordance with P09.07.050. Requests to establish or to change a fee shall include a description of the purpose of the fee, the amount of the fee and basis for assessment, the estimated annual revenue, the effective date of implementation, the recommendations of the student leadership, the recommendation of the respective chancellor, and a summary of the input or involvement of the affected students. 
  2. Course, use, service, and administrative fees may be established if the respective chancellor or designee determines that such fees are reasonable and appropriate. Each chancellor will establish a process for approval which documents the rationale for assessment of the fee, amount of the fee, the estimated annual revenue, the proposed use of receipts from the fee, and the proposed effective date of any new or revised fee. The process for continuing review shall provide for student comment and input, including notice to students of any course-related fees and their purpose at the beginning of each semester. 
  3. Course fees shall have a direct relationship to the supplemental cost of providing the course, such as the cost of expendable items that normally cannot be economically or conveniently purchased by students in amounts required for individual use or for the use of specialized instruments, laboratory, and other equipment.
  4. Self-support course fees for noncredit instruction shall be approved by the respective chancellor or designee. Such fees shall be established considering the costs to provide the service, the needs of the community, and the benefit to the university. 
  5. Summer school self-support fees will be assessed as a fee in addition to tuition. The respective chancellor or designee may establish the amount of such fees. In determining the fee requirement, the costs related to the program may be averaged across all summer school programs at a campus or assigned on some other consistent basis as approved by the campus chief financial officer. 
  6. For sponsored courses, seminars, or other instruction offered for credit at any level with the direct instructional costs being paid for by an external sponsor, the respective chancellor or designee may approve charging an administrative fee to cover related facilities and administrative costs, such as charges for classrooms, registration, class lists, grades, transcripts, and other functions required to support the instruction. To the extent practicable, the fee should be established at a rate that will recover the institution’s full cost of instruction including applicable facilities and administrative costs. 
  7. For credit-free courses, seminars, training programs, or other instruction offered to the general public with all direct instructional costs being paid for by the students in the course, the respective chancellor or designee may approve charging a base fee or supplemental fee to cover related facilities and administrative costs, such as charges for classrooms, registration, class lists, grades, continuing education credits, and other functions required to support the instruction. To the extent practicable, the fee should be established at a rate that will recover the institution’s full cost of instruction including applicable facilities and administrative costs. 
  8. The university president may establish systemwide administrative, use, service, or course fees at his or her discretion. 
  9. All student fees, including student government fees, course fees, use and service fees, and administrative fees, to the extent feasible, shall be published with the semester course schedules, student handbooks, and registration instructions. Each MAU shall maintain a web site that identifies all student fees and discloses for each the amount of the fee, its purpose, the basis for calculation or assessment, and an explanation of the use of the proceeds. The campus academic catalog shall include an information disclosure of the various fees that may be charged to students. Courses listed in the academic catalog that traditionally or normally have an associated course or other fee shall be noted as such with a specific designator that will direct the reader to the appropriate web site that contains up-to-date fee information. 
  10. Fees must be established far enough in advance to be published in the semester course schedule. No unpublished fees or fee increases shall be charged to students, unless the reason for not publishing the fee was beyond the control of the department receiving the proceeds and the fee or fee increase is specifically authorized by the respective chancellor. This approval authority may not be delegated beyond the provost or vice chancellor.
  11. The university’s chief financial officer shall provide an annual report to the university president and the board regarding tuition and fees and comparisons with prior periods and similarly situated programs of other western states.

(10-15-21)

R05.10.080. Tuition and Fee Waivers.

  1. Under the authority granted to the president by Board of Regents’ Policy 05.10.080, the president may waive student tuition and fees, including tuition surcharges and special tuition, upon a determination that such waivers are in the best interest of the university. In addition, the president may delegate to the chancellors the authority to waive tuition and fees, including tuition surcharges and special tuition, and to make determinations that the waivers are in the best interest of the university. Such delegations shall be in writing, be for a limited term, cannot be further delegated, and be renewed no less frequently than each fiscal year. 
  2. By September first of each year, each MAU must report the amount of tuition and fee waivers granted during the preceding fiscal year to the university’s chief financial officer.

(02-05-13)