Reduction in Waiver of Non-Resident Tuition Differential for Grants/Contracts Supporting Graduate Assistants

Dr. David Norton, Vice President for Research

The University of Florida is currently on a positive trajectory, and we are continuously assessing our processes to better position the university in pursuit of its aspirational goals. One area recently reviewed is tuition revenues from sponsored projects. For many years, the University of Florida has waived the non-resident tuition differential for graduate student tuition charged to sponsored projects. This practice was aimed at increasing the number of PhD students at a time when graduate student enrollment was relatively low, but this also led to reduced tuition revenue to the colleges. Graduate student enrollment is now comparable to our peer institutions, with UF’s aspirations clearly fixed on being among the top universities in the country.

As the colleges strive to effectively compete with the very best institutions in the country for faculty and students, additional revenues are critically important. Compared to our AAU public peers, UF is currently in the bottom 10 in tuition charged to sponsored projects for out-of-state graduate students. Beginning in the fall 2019, the university will begin implementation of a 6-year plan to reduce the waiver of non-resident graduate tuition charged to sponsored projects.

There is no change to the tuition rate for in-state students on sponsored projects. There is also no impact on payments made by students whether in-state or out-of-state.

At present, the annual tuition charge to sponsored projects for a non-resident graduate student is approximately $10,771. Beginning in the fall 2019 and continuing through 2024, the annual tuition charges to sponsored projects for a non-resident graduate student in all colleges (except for the College of Engineering) will be as follows:
Fall 2019: $11,848 (10% increase)
Fall 2020: $13,033 (10% increase)
Fall 2021: $14,336 (10% increase)
Fall 2022: $15,769 (10% increase)
Fall 2023: $17,346 (10% increase)
Fall 2024: $18,213 (5% increase)

As announced earlier by the College of Engineering, annual charges of non-resident graduate student tuition to sponsored projects within the College of Engineering will increase to $17,800 beginning in the fall 2019 and remain at that level through 2023. In the fall of 2024, the $18,213 effective non-resident graduate tuition recovery listed above will also apply to the College of Engineering.

These changes in recovered tuition will apply to all new and continuing projects. Given that sponsored projects may support in-state or out-of-state graduate students, proposal budgets should be developed using the non-resident rates listed above. These changes are projected to provide for a net increase of approximately $5 million in annual tuition revenue to the colleges, resources that will be critically important in our drive to greater heights as an institution.