FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The University of Alaska Board of Regents has approved tuition rates for the 2027-28 school year, along with a big change in how tuition will be set across the university system.
A New “Program-Based” Tuition Model
The board unanimously voted to move to a new system called program-based tuition. Under this model, students will be able to know their cost of attendance based on the degree or certificate they want to earn.
The new structure takes effect in fall 2027. Nothing changes for the fall 2026, spring 2027 or summer 2027 terms.
What Students Will Pay
The board also approved tuition rates for fiscal year 2028. Students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will see an increase of between 0% and 1%.
For comparison, last November the regents approved a 4% tuition increase for the current 2026-27 school year.
The university says final rates will be posted on its Tuition Transparency page the week after the November vote.
Out-of-State Tuition Being Dropped
Earlier this year, in August, the regents voted to expand an initiative called Alaska Unlocked. Under the plan, starting in fall 2027, all students at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Fairbanks and Southeast campuses would pay the same tuition as Alaska residents. The university said the change should help increase enrollment and make bills simpler.
The University of Alaska Southeast has already been testing this through a pilot program.
Other Topics at the Meeting
The regents met this week at the Butrovich Building on the Troth Yeddha’ campus in Fairbanks. Besides tuition, they also discussed guidance on the use of artificial intelligence.