Sept. 30, 2020

Augustana University students won’t see a tuition increase next school year.

The board of trustees voted unanimously to freeze tuition because of challenges on students and families related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Augustana University has been and continues to be deeply committed to access and affordability. We are doing everything possible to contain costs while maintaining our commitment to excellence in all aspects of academics and student life,” president Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said in a statement.

“The tuition freeze for the year ahead adds yet another layer of support for our students and parents as we continue to navigate the widespread disruption and ongoing uncertainty of the global health crisis.”

The tuition freeze mitigates a roughly $1,000 increase students would have normally incurred.

“The timing of this decision allows us to provide prospective students with information regarding their actual cost of attendance at AU, not just an estimate, earlier in the admission process,” said Madeleine Titze, director of undergraduate enrollment.

At Augustana, 100 percent of students receive academic, talent and/or need-based financial assistance, with more than $33 million awarded in scholarships, grants, loans and work study annually.

This fall, the university updated its process for awarding scholarships, which looks at cumulative high school GPA or standardized test score, as well as a three-year match for recipients of the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship. In addition, the university will continue its test-optional admission policy — providing students an alternative to presenting standardized test scores and “further highlighting (a) holistic approach to admission decisions,” the university said.