USF tuition increases hit undocumented students hardest
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The University of South Florida has increased its out-of-state tuition for the second time in less than a year, a markup that could prove unaffordable for undocumented students.
Why it matters: The back-to-back tuition hikes come after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in May ending in-state tuition for undocumented students, many of whom have lived in Florida for most of their lives.
Driving the news: USF's board of trustees voted on July 31, 2025, to increase its out-of-state tuition fee by 10%. It did so again on Jan. 12, this time by 15%.
- The university wrote in its proposal that even with the increases, "tuition and fees at USF will still be among the lowest in the country for out-of-state students."
- It added that the $5 million in estimated revenue from the fee increase "will go to support student success initiatives, as well as academic programs, student services and our academic mission."
By the numbers: Out-of-state tuition rose from $346.50 per credit hour in 2024–25 to $438.32 per credit hour in 2026–27 — a 26.5% increase overall. But for undocumented students, that increase is even steeper.
- Before last May, when they had access to in-state tuition, they paid $105.07 per credit hour, like other Florida residents.
- Now, undocumented students are paying 317% more per credit hour.
The big picture: There are other fees that USF levies on out-of-state students; in 2025–26, those fees amounted to $230.24.
- Assuming those fees hold, an undocumented student enrolled full-time at USF would pay at least $8,000 per semester. That's compared to under $2,800 a semester for Florida residents.
- And undocumented students don't have access to federal aid, making the cost even more daunting.
What they're saying: Diego Alonso Dulanto Falcon Gutierrez Tanaka, an undocumented alumnus of USF, told Axios that the loss of in-state tuition, paired with the fee hikes, "has created a perfect storm of exclusion."
- "When these legislative hurdles meet the university's compounding fee increases, the path to a degree moves from difficult to impossible for those barred from federal financial aid."