Following another year of flat state funding, the Board of Regents, state of Iowa, approved a tuition increase for University of Iowa students to address higher inflationary costs. At its June 14 meeting, the board approved a $305 increase to undergraduate tuition and a $381 increase to graduate tuition. The increases, which are the same for both resident and non-resident students, will take effect at the start of the fall 2023 semester for all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

“The University of Iowa works hard to absorb higher operating costs through efficiencies and reallocations, however without additional state funding, inflationary tuition increases are necessary to maintain academic excellence,” says Rod Lehnertz, senior vice president for finance and operations.

For the 2023-24 academic year, the Board of Regents requested an increase in state appropriation of $32 million for Iowa’s three public universities. The state, however, approved an increase of only $7.1 million for specific programs at the three universities. The UI will receive $2.8 million of the $7.1 million increase for the College of Nursing to employ additional instructors and increase the number of students who graduate.

“We are pleased that lawmakers chose to support nursing education at Iowa, which is a nationally ranked, top-10 program,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. “The University of Iowa takes its role of serving the state seriously and we are excited to partner with the legislature to increase the number of nurses available to help care for Iowa’s aging population.”

Kregel says despite the tuition increase, undergraduate resident tuition and fees at Iowa remain among the most affordable options for students in the university’s peer group.

Some graduate and professional colleges will keep their tuition rates flat, while the board approved slightly higher increases for specific programs based on cost. 

Tuition will not increase for the Carver College of Medicine’s MD and Doctor of Physical Therapy programs, or for the College of Nursing.

Tuition increases were approved for the following:

• College of Law: a 3.5% increase for non-resident students.
• Radiation Sciences Program, Carver College of Medicine: $1,394 increase for on-campus resident and non-resident undergraduate students.
• Master of Science in Athletic Training, Carver College of Medicine: 2.5% increase for resident and non-resident students.
• Master of Clinical Nutrition, Carver College of Medicine: 2% increase for resident students.
• PharmD Program, College of Pharmacy: $138 increase for resident and non-resident students.

The board also approved a mandatory student fee increase of $306. The extra funds will go toward renovations to the Iowa Memorial Union, IT support for students, increased demand for student health services, inflationary expenses, and others.