Tuition Set for 2009-2010 Academic Year

By Connect2Mason Director Christian Smith

At the May 6th meeting of the Board of Visitors, the 2009-2010 tuition increase was proposed and approved:
In-state/out-of-state undergraduate tuition: increased by 6.8 percent
In-state graduate tuition: increased by 9.8 percent
Out-of-state graduate tuition: increased by 7.3 percent
In-state law school tuition: increased 9.7 percent
Out-of-state law school tuition: increased 7.1 percent

To offset the tuition increase, George Mason University is also increasing its financial assistance by $1.85 million.

According to Press Secretary Dan Walsch, the tuition increase is partly due to the cost of operating new academic and student facilities opening in the upcoming academic year. As recently as two years ago, 100 percent of the operating costs for new buildings was provided by the Commonwealth. However, for the 2009-2010 academic year, Virginia will be offering no funds towards building operations, said Walsch.

The tuition increase is less than what the University had been anticipating. Funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment act, which will provide support for the next two academic years, helped to provide the extra needed funds.