GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When Jordan Hughes opened her email to find out the University of Florida was proposing a 10% tuition hike for out-of-state students, she felt blindsided — and she’s not alone.
The senior nursing major from Georgia is one of many non-Florida residents now grappling with the possibility of paying over $2,000 more per year—a change that could take effect as early as this fall if approved by UF’s Board of Trustees at a special public meeting on July 23 at 11 a.m.
The university has not released further details on how the additional revenue would be allocated, beyond citing increased operational and instructional costs.
If passed, the non-resident undergraduate fee would increase from $707.21 to $777.93 per credit hour—an added cost of roughly $2,116 for a typical 30-credit academic year.
The University of Florida publicly announced the proposed increase on June 25 through a campus-wide email, online posting, and news release, in accordance with state regulations. The university cited rising instructional and operational costs as the reason for the hike, emphasizing that in-state tuition would remain unchanged.
UF also noted that it has not raised out-of-state tuition in over a decade and that, even with the proposed increase, the cost of attendance for non-Florida residents remains among the lowest in the country.
Still, the announcement has sparked concern among students and families, many of whom say the communication was too last-minute and disproportionately impacts non-Florida residents who already shoulder higher costs.
“This decision was completely unexpected, leaving me shocked and frustrated,” Hughes said. “I felt like the out-of-state students’ perspectives were not taken into consideration. If this increase was deemed necessary, it should have been implemented for future classes — not imposed on current students.”
Hughes said she chose UF despite receiving scholarship offers from other schools because of the strength of its health sciences programs. Now, she worries the increase sends the message that out-of-state students are valued more for their tuition dollars than their contributions to campus.
“My in-state friends attend school for free and even receive money back through Bright Futures,” she said. “UF doesn’t offer much in scholarships, so the tuition hike just makes it harder to feel like we belong.”
In a statement, Cassandra Edwards, spokesperson for the Florida Board of Governors, confirmed that the board approved a policy on June 18 allowing UF and other state universities to raise out-of-state fees by up to 10% in fall 2025 and 15% in 2026. The policy also requires institutions to maintain their proportion of in-state admissions.
While the Board of Governors said the process follows Florida law and transparency regulations, some families say the timing still feels abrupt.
“We were really proud when our daughter got into UF,” said Brian Matthews, a parent from Charlotte, North Carolina. “But now we’re paying thousands for tuition and flights home, and they drop this increase with just a few months’ notice? That’s not how families plan for college.”
Matthews said he felt blindsided by the announcement and questioned why families weren’t notified directly.
“We’re treated like revenue sources—not part of the Gator community,” he said.
UF maintains that the proposal is part of a long-term effort to ensure all students contribute equitably to the university’s academic mission, noting that Florida law dictates the way tuition adjustments are communicated.
Additionally, UF highlighted that the College Board recently recognized Florida for offering the lowest undergraduate tuition in the nation for the third year in a row. The university was also ranked by Forbes as the No. 4 public university in the country for return on investment.
That reasoning makes sense to Karen Li, a parent from Austin, Texas, whose daughter is a senior at UF.
“We knew going out of state would be expensive,” she said. “A 10% increase doesn’t change the fact that UF was still a worthwhile investment. But the lack of notice? That stings a little.”
Li said her family plans to stay the course.
“We’re not going to punish our daughter over this. But I hope UF understands that families like ours made a long-term commitment—we expect transparency in return.”
Not all out-of-state students view the change with anger.
Celina Bagchi, a sophomore from Pennsylvania, said she thought the communication itself was relatively clear, but the timing felt “like a bait and switch.”
“UF had already admitted the incoming class by the time this was announced,” she said. “Kids made decisions based on outdated financial information.”
Bagchi said she isn’t planning to transfer but has begun applying for additional scholarships to make up the difference.
“UF still provides amazing value compared to schools like UVA or UCLA,” she said. “But this could have been handled in a way that felt more considerate.”
Some in-state students, like Vanessa Whitney, a senior at UF, expressed mixed emotions about the proposal.
“I’m glad in-state students didn’t take the hit—we already have Bright Futures and other financial help—but I do feel bad for my out-of-state friends,” Whitney said. “It’s going to make it harder for them, and I think it could change the kind of students who choose UF in the future.”
Whitney said she was surprised she hadn’t heard about the increase until a friend told her. She added that affordability is a big part of UF’s identity and national ranking.
“I don’t think this is a good idea because it’s part of what we pride ourselves on,” she said. “UF being affordable is what makes it special—and I think raising prices could take away from that.”
“I still believe in the education UF provides,” Bagchi said. “I just wish decisions like this felt more thoughtful and less transactional.”
The proposal will be formally discussed at a public UF Board of Trustees meeting on July 23.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
