University’s 2019-20 Budget Includes Largest Ever Commitment to Student Financial Aid

Allocating nearly $280 million to student financial aid, Syracuse University’s 2019-20 budget prioritizes attracting and retaining students of promise and talent from across the socioeconomic spectrum. The figure reflects a nearly 9 percent increase in student financial aid as part of the budget approved by the University’s Board of Trustees.

“Expanding opportunity for students interested in pursuing a Syracuse University education is at the heart of our Invest Syracuse initiative,” says Ryan Williams, vice president for enrollment services. “Dramatically increasing our financial support is just one way we’re making that vision a reality—both for our prospective students as well as our current students.”

For the 2019-20 academic year, the cost of tuition for full-time undergraduates will increase by 3.9 percent to $52,210, which includes the $3,300 tuition premium announced in the Invest Syracuse initiative in 2018. Tuition for students who were admitted prior to fall 2018 will be $48,780. Room and board rates for most full-time returning undergraduates will increase by about 2 to 2.5 percent, depending on the housing and meal plan chosen.

The new budget is intended to maintain a high level of service to students with limited or no mandatory student fee increases. There is no proposed increase to the undergraduate co-curricular fee or the residential internet and cable service fee. There will also be no increase in undergraduate, graduate or law student activity fees. The undergraduate, graduate and law student health and wellness fee is expected to increase by 2.1 percent, which will support new health and wellness initiatives and enhanced services associated with the opening of the Barnes Center at The Arch this fall.

In addition, graduate assistant stipends will increase by an overall average of 2.5 percent in the 2019-20 budget. The new minimum stipend for graduate students is $15,686. For students on a University fellowship, the 2019-20 minimum amounts for fellowships have increased to $15,732 for master’s students and remain at $25,290 for doctoral students.