TUCSON, Ariz. — Future Wildcats could be paying more for their degree starting next school year.
The University of Arizona is proposing tuition hikes for new students, both in and out-of-state.
In-state undergraduate tuition would see a 2% increase, bringing tuition to $12,671 per year. Out-of-state undergrads would see a 1% increase, paying nearly $37,000 per year.
Almost all current UA students will not see an increase, due to the university's Guaranteed Tuition Program. But current students tell KGUN9 they're concerned about the current high cost of higher education.
Sophomore Isaac Herzberg has a scholarship and FAFSA to help pay for his in-state tuition. He says money would be tight if he had to pay a little more each semester.
"I don't get an extremely large amount from FAFSA," Herzberg said. "Like, if I were to take it all out, I would get $1,000 or so each semester above what I need to pay off."
UA says the tuition increases are needed to fund priority initiatives and increases in external costs.
A group of sophomores who pay out-of-state tuition, say they're already overwhelmed with student loan debt -- and can't imagine paying more.
"I take out about $5,000 a year, which is pretty scary, because by the time I graduate, it'll be about $20,000," Sarah Desantis said. "But that's also not counting expenses for food, and textbooks and everything."
While they may not be affected by Friday's proposed tuition hikes, some students worry, beyond tuition.
"It goes into housing, it goes into the books," Herzberg said. "Because for example, books, they're constantly going up, but there's not a decrease in tuition to help with that either. It's just all up. There's going to be a breaking point somewhere."
Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University are also looking to increase tuition next year.
The Arizona Board of Regents will pick up the issue at their meeting on April 2, and vote on the hikes on April 11.
