UAA Rolls Out Tuition Benefits for Students
“Keeping UAA affordable is essential to building and retaining Alaska’s workforce,” said Chancellor Sean Parnell. “Whether we have students seeking a four-year degree, pivoting in their career through one of our Fast Track Career Certificate programs, or are interested in graduate studies, we’re here to offer our community an affordable and accessible option that offers a pathway to a career.”
This summer, University of Alaska President Pat Pitney allowed UAA leadership to offer in-state tuition to non-resident students taking 100% of their coursework online. Additionally, UAA implemented the Live and Learn in Alaska Initiative, a benefit for students in resident housing on Anchorage’s main campus to pay the equivalent of in-state tuition for both online and in-person courses. Students in UAA’s residential community also have the opportunity to benefit from the General Housing Scholarship, which offers students up to $1,000 per semester for housing costs during the 2022-23 academic year.
“The hope is that these tuition benefits remove some of the financial burden students face when deciding whether or not to pursue education in Alaska,” said Parnell. He said the university is also offering students financial relief through free or low-cost textbooks and a 25% discount on parking permits this fall.
With the implementation of the Live and Learn in Alaska Initiative, numbers in UAA’s residential community have increased. While UAA’s residence halls remained open throughout the pandemic, Ryan Hill, UAA director of Residence Life, said numbers among the residential community dwindled but that they are already seeing a 50% increase in students from 2021 to fall 2022.
“One thing we learned during the pandemic is that for many of our students, living on campus was synonymous with access to education,” said Hill. For many, the option to go out of state for college is not available, and campus housing provides a stable environment for students to dedicate themselves to earning their degrees. Students in the residence halls benefit from a tight-knit community, additional help with coursework and the ease of proximity to campus when going to class, studying at the library and enjoying extracurricular activities. Additionally, Hill said the liveliness of an on-campus living community contributes to the vibrancy of the university. “One of the best ways to provide a vibrant campus life is to have a thriving residential community. Students who live on campus are highly engaged and contribute to the overall UAA experience.”
Hill said the housing scholarships for the on-campus living community not only benefit the students directly by easing some of the financial cost of attending UAA but also contribute to the overall feeling of a dynamic campus atmosphere.
Students who are earning their degree entirely online and are out-of-state and non-Alaska residents have the added benefit of paying in-state tuition. Often the burden of paying higher tuition as a non-resident deters potential students from pursuing a degree or program.
But with the pandemic changing how universities provide students with coursework, one of the most significant silver linings was that remote learning allowed institutions to cast a broader net. Virtual meeting platforms like Zoom demonstrated that fully remote degree programs were possible.
In addition to housing and online tuition benefits, one of the biggest ways UAA offers students financial relief, according to Lora Volden, associate vice chancellor for Enrollment Services, comes in the form of scholarships. She said offering more internal options for students was a top priority among university leadership. Still, in the wake of the pandemic, as enrollment numbers sharply declined, it became clear that cost was one of the biggest barriers preventing students from beginning or continuing a degree path.
During the pandemic, the university used federal relief funds distributed to higher education institutions during COVID-19. That funding ended this fall, and university leadership knew they would need to get creative to help students offset some of the high financial costs. Volden said many of the current scholarships being offered were developed in preparation for losing federal funds, such as Seawolf Start, 907 Scholars and 49th Finishers.
“We believe that education can transform lives and is key in increasing an individual’s long term earning potential,” said Volden. “It’s why it was so important that we developed these programs now and it was really helpful that we had a chancellor who understands this and is committed to work as a partner with us on this.”
As higher education in Alaska and across the country continues to navigate the post-pandemic university experience, it is clear that now more than ever, hometown universities like UAA continue to provide quality education while remaining affordable and accessible.
It is the hope of Chancellor Parnell and university leadership that in the years to come, students will continue to choose their local university because of both its quality and its affordability, whether they are in the Lower 48 taking all online courses, are a part of the residential community or are coming to campus for in-person classes.