ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University plans to lower its tuition by 8% this fall for all undergraduate students as part of a new Tuition Transparency Initiative.
The initiative, which was approved by the Board of Trustees at its March 13 retreat, aligns and clarifies the university’s tuition and fees with the direct costs of delivery to remain competitive with peer institutions. This will make it easier for students and families to see what they are paying for, and so they will be able to budget accordingly.
President Edward Serna ’02 said the initiative should help Winthrop bolster its enrollment while providing accurate and transparent figures for students and families. “This effort is one of many ways we are moving the university forward with our new strategic plan, Winthrop: United in Excellence. This is a bold move we are confident in making, maintaining our reputation as an institution that provides a quality and accessible education for our students, while allowing our costs to be in better alignment with other higher learning institutions in the state,” he said.
The reduced flat rate for students will apply for those enrolled full time and taking between 12 and 18 credit hours. For those enrolled less than full time, tuition charges will be assessed per credit hour based on the new tuition and fees. Those taking more than 18 hours, an additional overload charge will be applied for enrollment at 18.5 credit hours per semester.
Before tuition decisions are made about the 2025-26 year, external partners will help monitor and evaluate results.
Financial Aid Offers Coming Soon
New students this fall will receive financial aid offers within the next month, while current students will receive their updated financial aid offers in June, according to Joseph Miller, vice president for enrollment management and marketing. Delays have occurred due to recent changes in the FAFSA federal aid program. All undergraduates will see the tuition reduction and a breakdown of tuition and fees in their fall 2024 bill.
Winthrop officials said concerns about the rising cost of a college education in the last decade have led Winthrop to keep its tuition at the same rate since 2018, with help from state and federal sources.
“We know additional and more substantial measures are needed to control tuition and fees going forward,” Serna said. “This Tuition Transparency Initiative is Winthrop’s answer to helping students find a way to college at a price that is affordable.”
Housing and food costs also are being looked at but are managed according to the market and inflation. The university’s rates are adjusted based on market price, the consumer price index and higher education price index (HEPI), along with input from the university’s food service provider, Sodexo.
Unrelated to the transparency initiative but also happening is the expectation that due to a change in the calculation from the Federal Pell Grant eligibility from the U.S. Department of Education, more Winthrop students are expected to receive increased Pell grants in this next year.
Winthrop Has Impressive Outcomes
Winthrop remains a university on the move with these impressive outcomes, said Miller:
1. Winthrop been ranked as a top five institution among all public universities in the South for 2024, its highest-ever U.S. News & World Report ranking.
2. Students are Flight Ready, as evidenced by the fact that 91 percent of last year’s graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
3. New degree programs in data science, applied software development and educational studies were designed to meet the needs of the always changing job market.
4. A high graduation rate, exceptional faculty scholars, engaging curriculum and quantifiable commitment to career placement make a Winthrop degree truly transformational.
For more information, check out the Tuition Transparency Initiative website for regular updates or e-mail any questions to tuitiontransparency@winthrop.edu.
