Regents freeze undergraduate tuition and extend Go Blue Guarantee to UM-Flint

Undergraduate students at the University of Michigan-Flint will not see a tuition increase during the coming academic year – and some will pay no tuition at all – as the university reaffirms its ongoing commitment to affordability and access for all students.

The Board of Regents approved the 2021-2022 fiscal year budget June 17. The UM-Flint general fund budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is $117.4 million.

The budget freezes undergraduate student tuition and fees, keeping rates at current levels for the upcoming academic year. A typical in-state, full-time, first-year student with 15 credit hours will continue to pay an average of $6,446 in tuition and fees per semester in the coming year. The elimination of online fees last year and holding tuition flat this year keeps the cost of education at UM-Flint one of the lowest in the state.

"We built this budget with a deliberate focus on affordability through cost control," said Chancellor Deba Dutta. "This budget reinforces our steadfast commitment to being the best higher education value in the region, offering exceptional quality at a low cost for the benefit of students, their families and the community."

Additionally, the university extended the Go Blue Guarantee to UM-Flint and UM-Dearborn. The guarantee provides four years of free tuition for high-achieving, in-state students from low-income backgrounds. Highlights of the initiative include:

• Beginning this fall, high-achieving, full-time, in-state undergraduate students who are admitted to and attend UM-Flint will automatically qualify for the award if they have a family income of $65,000 or less and assets below $50,000.
• In addition to meeting the income and asset provisions, incoming first-time college students need a high school GPA of at least 3.5 to qualify for the Go Blue Guarantee and be eligible for up to eight semesters of free tuition. Incoming transfer students need a transfer GPA of at least 3.5 and will be eligible for up to four semesters of free tuition.
• Returning students at UM-Flint who meet the basic criteria outlined in the first bullet and have not exceeded the semester limit as noted will be eligible starting this fall and must have a GPA of at least 3.0. 
• For those students who do not qualify for the Go Blue Guarantee, UM-Flint will continue to provide significant financial aid based on individual need and merit through the Blue for You: Empowering Your Future initiative, a historical investment in student success.

The Go Blue Guarantee at UM-Flint will include financial support from the Ann Arbor campus for at least six years as the program becomes established, and the Guarantee will be a focus of fundraising in the years ahead. A new $1 million grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation will also help fund the program at UM-Flint.

"We are deeply appreciative of this action by the regents and of the longtime support from the Mott Foundation," said Dutta. "Having the Go Blue Guarantee at UM-Flint shows an extraordinary commitment to educational opportunities in the Flint community and the region."

In addition to the Go Blue Guarantee, The Blue for You: Empowering Your Future initiative offers a variety of new student scholarships and grants. The initiative also includes more resources in areas such as advising, veteran assistance, internships, and degree completion opportunities, giving students an added level of support to help them achieve their educational goals.

"We are already seeing the impact of the Blue for You initiative," said Dutta. "Combined with the Go Blue Guarantee, we are making every effort to meet the varying needs of each individual as they persevere through to graduation."

Regents also approved a 3% tuition increase for graduate programs. Room and board rates were set for the year with an average increase of approximately 2.76% for room and board, including no increase in meal plan rates.