NSCS freezes State Colleges' tuition and fees

“It is critical that the cost to attend Chadron, Peru, and Wayne State remain as affordable as possible for our students and their families during these challenging times,” said Gary Bieganski, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Our State Colleges are and will continue to be the most affordable and accessible option for Nebraska students to receive a high-quality four-year postsecondary education.”

The tuition freeze applies to undergraduate and graduate; resident and nonresident students; and online rates. The State Colleges are able to keep the same rates due to the support of the Governor and Legislature in proposing an increase in the general fund appropriation, which covers most of the NSCS’s core needs for the biennium.

“The Governor’s and Legislature’s commitment this year will ensure that the State Colleges remain an affordable four-year degree option for students in Nebraska, as it helps maintain the distribution between state and student cost of attendance,” said Dr. Paul Turman, Chancellor of the Nebraska State College System (NSCS). “Maintaining this critical balance is a top priority for the Board of Trustees as they weigh tuition costs each year.”

The tuition freeze is a continuation of access and affordability initiatives that the State Colleges have implemented over the past year.

• Reduced Undergraduate Online Rates/Opportunities for Degree Completion – The State Colleges lowered the undergraduate online rate for the 2020-21 academic year to $299 per credit hour, making it the best education value in Nebraska. The rate is a flat cost per credit hour and does not require any additional fees.  More details
• Graduate Online Rate Reduced for Education Courses – Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State Colleges lowered their online rate to $359 per credit hour for graduate-level courses for PK-12 educators. Graduate-level courses that lead to master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction, special education, and history/math/science education are included in the new rate, making these degrees among the most affordable in the State for teachers. More details
• State College Guarantee – Ensures that Pell-qualified Nebraska students can attend Chadron State, Peru State, or Wayne State College tuition-free.
• Free Application – It is always free to apply to Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State Colleges.
• New Career-Focused Scholarships – Innovative scholarships focused on high-need career areas are available at Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State Colleges through the Career Scholarship Program. The Corrections Leadership Scholarship at Peru State offers criminal justice majors a career pathway into corrections, with work-based experiences embedded throughout the four-year program. The Northeast Nebraska Growing Together Program, an Aksarben cooperative education workforce initiative available through Wayne State, combines classroom education with real work experience for college credit. The Rural Business Leadership Initiative at Chadron State is in its first year and focuses on preparing students for careers in Accounting and Agribusiness in the High Plains region.

—NSCS Office