Undergraduate tuition at Washington University in St. Louis will be $42,500 for the 2012-13 academic year — a $1,550 (3.8 percent) increase over the 2011-12 current academic tuition of $40,950. The required student activity fee will total $425, and the student health fee, which is a preliminary number until release of the final federal regulations for student health insurance plans,
is estimated
to be $780.
Barbara A. Feiner, vice chancellor for finance, made the announcement.
Charges for on-campus double-occupancy housing for 2012-13 will range between $8,700 and $9,624, depending on whether a student selects newer housing.
This year’s range is
$8,374 and $9,264. The meal plans for
2012-13 will
range from
$3,700 to $5,138 compared with this year’s range of $3,600 to $5,000.
In a letter to parents and students about 2012-13
tuition, room, board and fees, Edward S. Macias, PhD, provost, executive
vice chancellor for academic affairs and the Barbara and David Thomas
Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences, said the following:
“I am writing to inform you of the tuition rate for the coming 2012-2013 academic year. The past several years have been difficult ones economically for many both here in the U.S. and around the world, although there are continuing signs of recovery and hope for a more stable financial future. Washington University continues to set a course based on careful, prudent planning and cost containment.
“While the University and its students benefit greatly from the generosity of our donors and the income from our endowment, revenue from the tuition you pay is the University’s largest unrestricted revenue stream. It is what allows us to maintain the quality of our faculty, facilities and students. Because we know and appreciate the sacrifices that you all make to send your children here, we are all the more committed to managing the resources of the University in ways that make your investment in your children’s future a sound one.
“Although the University has seen improvement in its endowment over the past year, its value is still below its value from just a few years ago. We continue to be prudent stewards of this important asset and its potential to fund important future initiatives. Following two successive years of reductions in endowment spending, in response to the endowment downturn of 2008 and 2009, we were able to increase the spending by a modest amount for the current academic year. However, this source of revenue is still below the level of three years ago.
“Just as you have had to do in your own homes, businesses and organizations, the University has continued to tighten its budgets and seek out efficiencies and new ways of saving resources. Schools and administrative units have been diligent in cutting and containing costs.
“But even as we rein in expenses in some areas, we can never allow the University to lose its position of strength and high standards that you have come to expect. The University is committed to continuing that trajectory of excellence and improvement, both for our current students and for those who will study and live here in the years to come. We must continue to build on our tradition and mission of providing a world-class university experience inside and outside the classroom in a multitude of ways, including improving library services; maintaining small class sizes and quality of instruction; renovating older buildings and classrooms for both energy efficiency and technology enhancements; sustaining our excellent student housing and dining experiences; and investing in the neighborhoods surrounding our campuses to make them more safe.
“Most importantly, the University has continued to place the highest priority on meeting the financial needs of our students, and we have once again increased the amount of financial aid. Careful financial planning over many years has allowed the University to be responsive in assisting families in today’s economic situation. In addition, just two years ago, the University announced a major scholarship initiative called “Opening Doors to the Future,” with a goal of raising more than $150 million for scholarships. To date, thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents and other supporters, we have raised approximately $132 million.”
Students who qualify for need-based financial assistance will receive consideration for the costs increases, along with consideration of changes in their family financial circumstances.
Feiner noted that the University offers payment plans to help lessen family financial burdens, including the Partners in Education with Parents (PEP) plan that allows University charges for all undergraduate years to be paid in monthly installments over as many as 10 years at competitive fixed interest rates.
The
advantage of this plan is that a family can decrease the effect of
future tuition and room-and-board increases, depending on the level of
participation the family chooses. There also is a monthly payment plan
that allows families to spread all or most of a single academic year’s
expenses over 10 equal monthly payments without any interest charges.
Below
are the 2012-13 full-time tuition and fee schedules for the Washington
University graduate and professional programs as well as tuition for
evening and summer schools enrolling part-time students.
Graduate and professional tuition
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design, and graduate programs in the School of Engineering: The 2012-13 tuition charge for graduate students in these programs will be $42,500, an increase of $1,550 (3.8 percent) over the current charge of $40,950.
Graduate School of Art: The 2012-13 tuition charge for the Master of Fine Arts program will be $34,620, an increase of $1,270 (3.8 percent) over the current charge of $33,350.
Brown School: The 2012-13 tuition charge for the Master of Social Work program will be $34,140, an increase of $1,380 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $32,760, and the Master in Public Health at $26,174, an increase of $1,058 (4.2 percent) over the current charge of $25,116.
Olin Business School graduate program: The 2012-13 tuition for the Master of Business Administration program will be $47,800, an increase of $1,800 (3.9 percent) over the current charge of $46,000.
School of Law and School of Medicine: Tuition for 2012-13 for the Juris Doctor, LLM program and Doctor of Medicine degree will be set in March.
Evening and Summer School tuition rates, 2012-13
Undergraduate evening students: For undergraduate evening students enrolling in University College in Arts & Sciences or continuing education classes in the School of Architecture in 2012-13, tuition will be $605 per credit hour, compared with the 2011-12 cost of $585 per credit hour.
Graduate students in University College: Depending upon the graduate program in University College in Arts & Sciences, tuition will range from $605 to $825 per credit hour for 2012-13, compared with the current range of $585 to $795.
Summer School in Arts & Sciences: Tuition in Summer School classes in Arts & Sciences will be $940 per undergraduate credit hour and $1,140 per graduate credit hour for summer 2012, compared with the 2011 Summer School rates of $905 and $1,095 per credit hour, respectively.