Tuition at the University of New Haven is on the rise; in only a year, the total cost of attending and living on campus at UNH for a full academic year has risen by more than $2,000.
For the 2012-2013 academic year, undergraduate tuition totaled $32,750. In just a year, the total rose to $33,740. These numbers represent tuition alone; after taking room and board, general student fees, lab fees and undergraduate student health insurance into consideration, the difference between last year and this year totals $2,260.
Before factoring in financial aid, loans and scholarships, the average undergraduate student living on campus with a meal plan is billed $49,310. That number can fluctuate based on certain criteria: a residential student who brings their car to campus must purchase a $200 parking pass. Also, each student has four meal plan options, all ranging in different prices, or can choose not to purchase a meal plan at all.
For many students, this increase in tuition is frustrating. “It’s aggravating; tuition and fees keep going up, but there’s no explanation as to why,” sophomore Kayla Katt said. “We were paying so much already as it is.”
The university’s tuition is determined at the UNH Board of Governors’ annual meeting in April, and their focus, according to Vice President for Finance and Administration George Synodi, is to keep the tuition increase as small as possible.
“The most recent tuition increase has been just under three percent,” Synodi said. “That’s the lowest increase I’ve seen since I’ve been at UNH.”
The University of New Haven is a not for profit organization, Synodi said, and the increase of tuition is in accordance with the operating expenses the university has—like faculty, supplies, campus police, electricity, heat, maintenance and landscaping.
“We want tuition and room and board to increase as close as possible to the rate of inflation while still be able to meet our obligations,” Synodi said.
Although tuition is constantly on the rise, the University of New Haven does cater to their students, helping them financially. According to a survey taken by collegedata.com, in the 2012-2013 academic year, 88 percent of freshmen applied for financial aid; 90 percent of those students qualified for financial aid, and 100 percent of the students who needed financial aid received it.
However, only 10 percent of the students who need financial aid fully have their needs met, meaning the rest of the student body only get a portion of what they need.
In addition to financial aid, UNH offers many opportunities for scholarships, most merit-based. These include the Presidential Scholarship, the Distinguished Scholar Awards, the International Student Awards and Charger Awards.
“As long as you apply yourself in high school and get the best grades that you can, you’ll get a scholarship,” Gabby Nowicki, a sophomore, said.
The average award given out by UNH is $20,276, according to collegedata.com.
In the last two years, UNH has had the lowest increase in tuition when compared to other private schools in the area, said Synodi.
What do other colleges around the area have for tuition costs? Down the street, Southern Connecticut State University’s (SCSU) tuition starts at $2,255 for both semesters but once the miscellaneous fees are taken into consideration, tuition comes out to almost $9,000 for both spring and Fall Semesters. Out of state students can expect to pay about $10,242 each semester and pay $20,485 for both Spring and Fall semesters.
For those attending Yale this year, tuition starts at $43,100 for the academic year. Including the miscellaneous fees, room and board, and book expenses, Yale students can expect to pay around $64,130 this academic year.
