By Lindsay Walker
Mail | Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

For the first time in two years — since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — Arizona State University students will see an increase in tuition rates for the coming school year.

The university’s tuition increase was approved Friday by the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees all three public universities in the state.

Base tuition for in-state students will be $10,978, plus $640 in student-initiated Arizona Financial Aid Trust fees and whatever fees a given college requires. For non-resident students, the base cost will now be $29,952 plus fees. The base will be $32,760 for international students.

“The board recognizes any increase in tuition has an impact on Arizona students and families, but we are pleased that the presidents’ proposals included only modest added costs in 2022-23,” said ABOR Chair Lyndel Manson. “The proposals demonstrate the joint commitment of the presidents to prioritize Arizona, access and quality while shielding resident students to the greatest extent possible from extraordinary inflationary cost pressures.”

Current Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona students likely won’t see tuition increases. The universities have pledged to lock in tuition rates for four years.

ASU continues to honor its 2012 pledge to limit resident undergraduate tuition increases to 3% or less. Tuition for the upcoming academic year will rise by 2.5% for Arizona-resident undergraduate and graduate immersion students. Non-resident and international students will have a 4% and 5% increase, respectively, for both undergraduate and graduate students. Online students will see a 2% increase per credit hour. Additionally, a mandatory Arizona Financial Aid Trust Fund fee is increasing slightly.

A university spokesperson confirmed the increase is typically annual, but added ASU has not increased tuition in two years because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A news release from the Tempe-based university detailed ASU’s growth, innovation and achievements along with the tuition announcement.

“As detailed in its 2022 State of the University report, ASU has continued to meaningfully enhance broad access to quality education, grow in comprehensive excellence, and have a substantive and positive impact on the communities it exists to serve,” the release stated. “In 2021, that included record total and on-campus, first-year student enrollment; sizable increases in graduate, ASU Online and international student enrollment; as well as a record number of fall graduates, and heightened socioeconomic diversity and college completion among our student body.”