Non-resident tuition reduction
Due to a decrease in non-resident tuition , international student enrollment has risen dramatically in the 2008-09 school year. Last year, the Board of Regents allowed the College of Eastern Utah to reduce their non-resident tuition by nearly half, from $7,622 in the 2007-08 academic year to $3,800 for 2008-09. Currently, CEU offers the least expensive non-resident rate in the state of Utah.
This archived article was written by: Kellie Henderson
Due to a decrease in non-resident tuition , international student enrollment has risen dramatically in the 2008-09 school year. Last year, the Board of Regents allowed the College of Eastern Utah to reduce their non-resident tuition by nearly half, from $7,622 in the 2007-08 academic year to $3,800 for 2008-09. Currently, CEU offers the least expensive non-resident rate in the state of Utah.
According to Kevin Walthers, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, this reduction could become a key recruiting tool. This would allow students from outside the state with aspirations of attending a four-year university in Utah to enroll at CEU for a year until achieving residency, as non-resident tuition at CEU is cheaper than resident tuition at a few Utah schools.
Even in the face of nation-wide budget cuts, Walthers is optimistic at the prospect of non-resident tuition remaining low. “We’ve got classes with spots for students to get into them. We’re not bumping any Utah kids, we’re not denying any access to anybody, so it’s really just free revenue to us.”
Another benefit is the influx of international students, who add cultural richness and a unique life experience for everyone in attendance. CEU had approximately 15 international students last spring semester, as opposed to the current 45. In Europe and Asia, there are companies whose purpose is to send students to American schools. When CEU’s tuition rate was reduced, the college became an attractive option for students all over the world.
“Our real goal is to be able to attract students in the general area right around us- Grand Junction, Durango, maybe some from Wyoming, some from New Mexico, or Arizona. So we’re really hoping to attract non-res students from inside the U.S. The international students are a bonus, especially for a college of this size to allow students to have that kind of interaction with students from other countries I think enhances the learning experience,” Walthers says.
