U. of Alaska Plans to End Out-of-State Tuition Rates

Out-of-state students will no longer have to pay higher tuition rates to attend the University of Alaska, pending final approval in November, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The university system’s Board of Regents voted Tuesday to eliminate out-of-state tuition rates in an effort to attract more students from across the country. The change would go into effect for the 2027–28 academic year.

University financial officials said the move is not expected to cost the system much money. Historically, sophomores and upperclassmen studying at the institution already pay in-state tuition rates. About 16 percent of students across the UA system are nonresidents, and out-of-state tuition contributes about $1.4 million at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Anchorage, according to a board presentation.

Luke Fulp, the system’s chief financial officer, said the University of Alaska Anchorage would lose about $372,000 in the first year of the program, but would break even after three years; meanwhile, an enrollment leader at the University of Alaska Fairbanks estimated that the university would break even in its second year.

“Universities across the country are looking at being more competitive and offering more affordable tuition proposals to students,” Fulp said, according to the newspaper. “And so, this is an effort for us to stay competitive in that marketplace and really make Alaska a destination for higher education.”