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Virginia Wesleyan Freezes Tuition for 2020-21
For third consecutive year, full-time students will pay the same rate of tuition
University News | November 5, 2019
Virginia Wesleyan University has frozen tuition for the third straight year. Full-time Virginia Wesleyan students will pay the same rate of tuition in the 2020-21 academic year as they have the past two years, thanks to another freeze on tuition approved by the Board of Trustees, said VWU President Scott D. Miller.
“We recognize that higher education is a substantial investment for students and their families,” Miller said. “At their recent fall meeting, our Trustees reaffirmed the importance of affordability and access to quality higher education. It is essential for us to work with our students and their families to make that possible.”
Virginia Wesleyan has adopted a wide variety of measures to remain affordable and financially support students. In addition to capping tuition and fees at their current level for three years in a row, the University has established an on-campus student work program; launched the Batten Honors College, which fully or partially funds 40 new academically talented students each year; widened access to early- and dual-enrollment programs; made January term affordable; added online summer courses and expanded institutional grants and scholarships.
VWU offers competitive financial aid packages and assists students in identifying other sources of aid as well, with 98 percent of students receiving financial assistance. Special discounted tuition is also offered for students in the Evening and Weekend Program and VWU Online, where rates are almost 75 percent less than tuition for traditional day students.
Virginia Wesleyan has also fought for expansion of the state's Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) for students who reside in the Commonwealth. TAG annually supports educational opportunities for approximately 900 Virginia Wesleyan students and their families.
“All of these changes will result in greater affordability, increased retention, and stronger graduation rates,” said Miller. “Affordability will continue to be in the forefront of our planning at Virginia Wesleyan, and a tuition freeze for 2020-21 is just one of many actions we are employing to help our students and their families benefit from the lifelong value of a world-class education.”
Prospective students and their families are also encouraged to think value, not just advertised cost. The University’s coastal campus, in the middle of a vibrant urban area, is ideal for internships, career starts, sports activities, and many cultural and recreational attractions.