UT-Martin Trustees Approve New Tuition Model

A new “Soar in Four” tuition model, designed to speed progress toward degree completion, was approved for the University of Tennessee at Martin on Thursday by the UT Board of Trustees.

The new model encourages students to take 15 hours per semester and complete their undergraduate degrees in four years. It will also fund new initiatives beneficial to student success, including a completely revamped and upgraded Career Development and Internship Center. 

The tuition model is supported by UT Martin’s Student Government Association, which used student input to decide investment commitments for the new funds. Other improvements include new faculty positions to meet scheduling bottlenecks and gateway courses, new degree auditing and planning software, new living-learning communities, and increased tutoring and advising. 

Completing college in four years offers financial benefits for students. The fifth year in college and beyond results in the typical student adding $8,735 in debt. The student’s average annual cost to attend is $22,058, so graduating in four years will result in significant savings. 

The new tuition structure immediately impacts 36 percent of UT Martin students and will be phased in from fall 2016 through summer 2020, at which point 78 percent of students will be affected. The amount of tuition paid will be based on academic hours already earned by a current student. 

Most students will enter the university under the new tuition structure and pay a $3,840 flat per-semester rate, plus mandatory fees as full-time students. Part-time and online students will remain on the traditional per-hour model. UT Martin does not charge for enrolled hours above 12, which is the threshold for full-time students for financial aid, tuition and fee purposes. 

Mandatory fees at the university will not increase this academic year. Additionally, the university is reducing the overall residential housing rates and increasing private scholarship assistance.

Students enrolled for online courses will pay more for courses in 2016-17. The undergraduate online course fee increased 2.2 percent for in-state and out-of-state domestic students, while graduate online course fees increased 3 percent. 

The new tuition schedule is available at https://www.utm.edu/departments/bursar/tuition.php.

For freshmen attending UT Martin this fall, a final Summer Orientation and Registration session is set July 15, followed by the final Transfer Orientation and Registration session for transfer students on July 22, both at the main campus. Fall semester classes begin Aug. 22.