Florida Polytechnic University is moving forward with a 15% increase in out-of-state tuition and fees, a change driven by a state rule requiring non-resident students to fully cover the cost of their instruction.
The university’s Board of Trustees evaluated the proposal to align with the Florida Board of Governors Regulation 7.001, which mandates that out-of-state fees must be high enough to offset the actual cost of educating those students so local tax dollars aren’t subsidizing them.
Here is how the rates break down per credit hour:
- Undergraduate Out-of-State: Increases from $510 to $586.50 (a $76.50 bump per credit hour).
- Graduate Out-of-State: Increases from $608 to $699.20 (a $91.20 bump per credit hour).
Who Is (and Isn’t) Affected?
In-State Students: This change does not affect Florida residents. In-state tuition remains completely frozen, keeping with Florida’s long-standing cap on local tuition hikes.
This adjustment is part of a broader, statewide trend. Because Florida public university tuition has been frozen across the board for over a decade, its out-of-state tuition has fallen significantly below the national average. The State Board of Governors authorized public universities to raise non-resident rates by up to 15% to help schools address rising operational costs.
According to university administrators, the extra revenue generated from the out-of-state increase will be funneled directly back into academic programs, instructional technology, and student support services.