ANDERSON, S.C. — Clemson University’s Board of Trustees approved a freeze of tuition and fees for the 2020-21 academic year for in-state and out-of-state students.
The freeze includes mandatory fees. Housing and dining fees are not mandatory, and a decision has yet to be made about those fees, according to the university.
“This tuition freeze provides a bit of stability for our families during these uncertain times,” President Jim Clements said. “I want to express my thanks to our Board of Trustees for their leadership in taking this timely action as Clemson continues to provide a great value to our students and to the State of South Carolina and its citizens.”
According to a release, this is the first time the tuition at Clemson will remain constant in recent years.
The administration attributed its ability to make this decision to the university’s focused efforts on cost containment and operational efficiency, as well as the Governor and the South Carolina General Assembly’s investment in higher education through tuition mitigation funding.
According to the university, the average out-of-pocket cost for an in-state freshman is 36 percent of the posted tuition. The university attributes this to scholarship programs, which award more than 99 percent of SC freshman.
Earlier this month, Clemson’s Board of Trustees authorized the administration to provide more than $17 million in unused housing, dining and parking fees to students for the Spring semester.
“Our Board is keenly aware of the financial impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on many of our students and their families,” said Clemson Board of Trustees Chairman Smyth McKissick. “The decision to hold the line on tuition is consistent with Clemson’s student-centric approach to providing a relevant, high-quality educational experience in as efficient a manner as possible.”
“Like many other institutions of higher education nationally, Clemson has been affected financially by the pandemic and we’ve already taken steps to control our costs,” Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations Tony Wagner said. “Our University is in a position to make this commitment to our students because of the ongoing focus on efficiency of each of our colleges and departments.”
A hiring freeze and other budget cuts were announced prior to this freeze in tuition.
