By Rachel Jacobi, News Editor
Tuition for the upcoming academic year of 2020-2021 has been announced by Yeshiva University’s Office of Student Finance. Undergraduate tuition will be increased, as has been YU’s annual trend for years. For 2020-2021, undergraduate tuition will be $43,575, with $2,900 in undergraduate fees, totaling $46,475. Compared to 2019-2020, the tuition increased a total of $1,575. This academic year, tuition was $42,200 with $2,700 in undergraduate fees, totaling $44,900.
These housing and tuition increases are no surprise. Between 2017-2018 to 2020-2021, not including housing, tuition has seen an increase of $4,475. (Between 2018-2019 to 2019-2020, tuition increased $1,400, and prior to that in 2017-2019, tuition was $1,500 less). These increases are not unique to YU’s undergraduate schools. Most U.S. schools see a consistent annual increase in tuition. The College Board estimates a 4% national increase across all sectors in tuition between 2018-19 to 2019-20 alone (before adjustment for inflation).
YU Housing prices have increased as well, with a standard undergraduate dorm accommodation costing $9,250 for Stern College for Women, featuring a $250 increase from 2019-2020’s $9000 for a standard room. Housing for undergraduate men in almost all cases increased by $250, with the “Muss 2 Bed” and “Morg/ Rubin Single Bed” options remaining unchanged.
Meal plan prices for 2020-2021 remain almost consistent with 2019-2020, with the on‐campus resident Standard Meal Plan listed for $3,500, and the reduced Meal Plan for $3,000. However, for non-campus students, the 2020 – 2021 meal plan is listed as $900, which is an increase of $100 from 2019-2020.
Some other costs, such as required health insurance or part-time tuition, which in 2019-2020 cost $4,104 per term and $1,520 respectively, have not yet been announced.
Summer 2020 tuition also features a slight increase, with each student being charged $564 per credit, whereas in the Summer 2019 term each credit was listed for $553. Summer housing costs for undergraduate men and women remain unchanged from 2019.
Many students are not pleased to learn about these increases. “It’s not out of the ordinary for schools to raise tuition and housing costs,” noted Mili Chizhik, SCW ‘21. “But perhaps for this year, instead of raising tuition YU can keep the prices consistent, since many students are being hit financially; students are losing jobs in the city, their parents are taking pay cuts or being laid off, and may not be able to cover the same expenses that were reasonable before.” Another student shared a similar sentiment, “If classes are online next semester, perhaps tuition this year should not go up for this upcoming year.”
***
Photo: Tuition increases since 2017
Photo Source: Rachel Jacobi, YU Observer