UI trustees approve three-year pilot program for UIS tuition
Prospective students from three counties in Iowa and Missouri seeking to attend the University of Illinois Springfield will be allowed to pay in-state tuition at the school through a new pilot program approved by the U of I Board of Trustees Thursday.
The plan would allow students from St. Louis and St. Charles counties in Missouri and Scott County in Iowa to pay the same amount as a student from Illinois to attend UIS. University officials hope the program – in place for the fall 2024 semester – will allow for them to grow their reputation in areas bordering Illinois, along with continuing to boost efforts to diversify the student body.
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Janet Gooch, chancellor of UIS, said that the new program will expand access to the growing university and attract students who may have decided against the school due to out-of-state tuition.
"By implementing this program, UIS will be able to enhance its competitiveness with other universities in the region and expand access to a world-class education for students who may have been discouraged from enrolling at UIS by the cost of out-of-state tuition," Gooch said.
The program will be in place for the 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years, with a goal of having at least 60 incoming students using the program during the three-year period. While no set plans to expand the program are in the works now, it could be expanded to other bordering areas if the program proves to be successful.
Tim Killeen, president of the U of I System, said that the new program will be a boon for recruiting students, particularly those living along the border close to Illinois.
"UIS is among the finest public regional universities in the country and offers affordable excellence to students from across Illinois," Killeen said. "Extending resident tuition rates to students in areas that neighbor the state will make UIS a very attractive option for those students and expand the university’s recruiting base."
The invent of the program comes as enrollment at UIS continues to increase, with 4,198 students attending at the start of the 2022-23 fall semester, up 6.4% from the prior year. The school has earned praise from U.S. News and World Report, which ranked UIS the top public regional university in Illinois and the third-best in the Midwest.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Some Missouri, Iowa students to pay in-state tuition at UIS tuition
