UMKC Introduces a Simplified Tuition Model
How this Change Better Portrays University Costs and What Else Students Can Expect
The new model helps to remove unexpected expenses and provide a clearer breakdown of costs.
April 18, 2023
Beginning in the fall, students can expect full transparency when evaluating the cost to attend UMKC on a semester-to-semester basis, thanks to the new simplified tuition model.
The transition comes following a change in Missouri law signed by Gov. Mike Parson in 2021.
In years past, there was a lot of gray area on what it cost to pursue higher education through the university, making it harder for students to plan their finances ahead of time.
For many students, it is standard to live paycheck to paycheck, so unanticipated costs can be an expensive consequence when a term’s bill surpasses expectations.
Aniyia Isaac, a junior chemistry major, expresses her support for the new tuition model.
“I wish they had [the simplified tuition model] before I came here so that I could have planned ahead,” Isaac said.
The old framework was confusing for many students since the cost of tuition is often thought to be an all-encompassing price—not a charge that precedes additional fees.
UMKC Provost Jenny Lundgren explains the need for change.
“Under the current tuition structure, many students face broad variability in their costs from semester to semester due to supplemental and other fees that vary by course,” Lundgren said.
While the decision was made in response to the new Missouri law, UMKC still hopes that it will benefit its students by making their billing statements simpler to read and easier to predict.
Vanessa Sanders, an English major and transfer student from Johnson County Community College, shares her thoughts.
“I knew [the cost] was going to be more coming [to UMKC] than it was at Johnson County Community College… I had a rough estimate, but still didn’t really know,” Sanders said.
The same Missouri law that allowed for this change also eliminated a tuition cap for public Missouri universities, which students can see reflected in their 2022 billing statements.
All UM System schools will be implementing the simplified tuition model in the coming Fall 2023 semester.
