Starting next fall, the University of Vermont will be tuition-free to all Vermont residents whose families make less than $60,000 a year, university officials announced on Friday.
The board of trustees approved the plan, which would cover tuition and fees for in-state students — a total of $18,890 a year. Out-of-state students pay more than twice that to attend UVM.
Room and board, which costs $13,354 a year, would not be covered under the proposal, according to a UVM spokesperson.
In a video announcement, UVM President Suresh Garimella said many residents will be able to take advantage of the new scholarship, which the university has dubbed "The UVM Promise."
“Our new commitment means that nearly half of all households in the state can count on attending UVM without worrying about how to pay for tuition,” he said.
The median household income in the state is $63,477, according to census data.
Gov. Phil Scott, in a press release, praised UVM’s plan.
“UVM is taking important steps to make the university more affordable for Vermonters,” Scott said in the statement. “The UVM Promise is a welcome addition to the university’s investments in Vermont’s future.”
More from Vermont Public: UVM Announces Plan To Freeze Tuition Rates Next Year
UVM also announced Friday that it would freeze its tuition for the fifth year in a row. In the video announcement, Garimella said the university would also keep the other costs, like room and board, flat.
“I’m proud that we’re extending savings to students for another year,” he said. “Both this year and next year’s graduating seniors, nearly 6,000 talented men and women, will earn degrees having paid the same tuition and fees for all four years.”
Garimella announced UVM’s first tuition freeze in four decades in November 2019, just a few months into his tenure as the university’s president.
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