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John Rigby, interim associate provost, Institutional Planning and Assessment

Board approves tuition increases

Following approval from the Board of Governors in December 2015, undergraduate and graduate programs will see tuition increases ranging from zero to five per cent.

"We know the cost of a post-secondary education is top of mind for students and their families, and we try to manage tuition rates with that in mind," said Greg Smith, chair of the U of S Board of Governors. "In most programs, the total cost of tuition and fees will continue to be lower than the median cost of similar programs at other Canadian medical-doctoral universities."

Tuition rates in the College of Arts and Science, where nearly half of students are enrolled, will increase by 2.7 per cent on average. The average arts and science student will pay $6,773 in 2016/17 for tuition and fees, including health and dental insurance.

"Students expect to see value for the investment they make in their education, and meeting those expectations is very important to us," said John Rigby, interim associate provost, Institutional Planning and Assessment. "It is essential for the university to strike a balance between keeping any necessary increases at a manage­able increment, while at the same time ensuring the quality of our programs and services stays high."

Tuition is reviewed annually by the Board of Governors and is set according to three prin­ciples: comparability to similar programs at other Canadian U15 medical-doctoral universities; accessibility and affordability for the majority of potential students; and the quality of programs and the need to ensure students receive a high-quality education.

Tuition revenue comprises about 25 per cent of the univer­sity's operating budget and is used to ensure ongoing program offerings; fund specific enhance­ments in programs, student services and the student expe­rience; and to set aside needs-based assistance for students who have modest financial resources. The balance of the university's operating revenue comes from the Government of Saskatchewan, interprovincial funding, investments and other sources.

In addition to tuition, students pay a variety of student fees that are used to fund specific student benefits offered as part of a university education. Student fees for the regular session for undergraduate students will be $819.97, an increase of 1.7 per cent, and $890.19, an increase of 1.1 per cent, for graduate students.

These costs are made up of institutional fees that support things like student recreation services, and third-party fees that support things like The Sheaf and the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union. In some cases, students are able to opt out of portions of the student fees, such as the health and dental expenses if they have other coverage, and the U-Pass fee.

 

For specific rates, visit usask.ca/tuition.
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