24-06-2025
Indiana's Public Colleges & Universities Freeze Tuition For Two Years
All of Indiana's public higher education institutions, including Purdue University, have agreed to ... More a two-year tuition freeze for resident undergraduates. .
At the request of Governor Mike Braun, all 15 of Indiana's public colleges and universities have committed to freezing their tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students for the next two academic years.
The decision came in response to the Governor's request and a unanimous recommendation by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education in May that resident tuition and mandatory fees be held flat at the state's public higher education institutions for academic years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
The Commission is charged in state law to recommend tuition rates for the state's colleges every two years. An institution wanting to charge more than the recommended amount must present a formal justification to the State Budget Committee.
'A month ago, we challenged our state's public higher education institutions to find efficiencies, eliminate redundancies and identify ways to streamline services without compromising quality,' said Braun in a news release from his office. 'The commitment made by all of Indiana's public colleges and universities puts students and parents first and demonstrates to the rest of the country that Indiana is a leader in providing a high quality education at an affordable price.'
According to the Governor's office, this is the first time since at least 2010 that more than two of the state's public colleges and universities have simultaneously held tuition flat, and it's the first time ever that all of the institutions have agreed to do so.
'While the Commission, along with our institutions and other partners, have leveraged policies, programs, and partnerships to keep our colleges and universities affordable, we all recognize the economic challenges our fellow Hoosiers have faced over the past several years,' said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. 'In the spirit of seeking to maintain Indiana's national leadership in affordability, the Commission is in full support of Gov. Braun's recommendation for a 0% tuition increase.'
The following campuses have committed to the tuition freeze:
Samantha Fleischaker, the student representative and a student at the University of Southern Indiana, praised the tuition decision. 'Keeping tuition flat keeps the door open for students of all backgrounds, all ZIP codes, and all walks of life, ' she said. 'It sends the message that education is not just for one demographic - it's for all people. It's not just a number. It's the difference between opportunity and what feels impossible.'
Institutions will still be able to raise their rates for room and board, and some may also decide to hike the tuition charged for nonresidents as well as international students
The institutions have committed to the tuition freeze despite facing a lean year in terms of state appropriations. Indiana's budget bill for the upcoming year includes a 5% cut in the state appropriation for higher education, but Braun has insisted that the institutions were in a good financial position that would allow them to weather both the tuition freeze and the appropriation cut.
