Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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Standardize tuition rates across colleges

Tuition_Megan+Fletcher+infographic
Megan Fletcher

Alan Bean, a notable alumnus of UT, said, “I feel like everyone who goes to The University of Texas is blessed and lucky to be there because they’re getting a chance to be as good as they can be.”

Unfortunately, the tuition discrepancy between undergraduate colleges at UT impacts the educational experiences of students by placing greater economic strain upon students who pay higher tuition while simultaneously diverting resources from lower-tuition colleges that are regarded as less profitable.  

UT must standardize the tuition rate between its different undergraduate schools.


According to the University, the differences in tuition between colleges result from certain disciplines requiring “a higher cost-of-delivery … to support their educational experiences.” 

However, it is unreasonable for students to pay the tuition for a specific college upfront when they may spend multiple semesters finishing their Core Curriculum.

Undergraduate students are required to complete the Core Curriculum, which consists of 42 hours of courses that often have little overlap with major requirements but can help to foster interdisciplinary interests.

Moreover, UT’s lack of transparency regarding how tuition is used detracts from its assertion that certain colleges require resources with a higher cost of delivery.

Regina Anaya is an undeclared freshman in the McCombs School of Business, the college with the highest tuition rate. 

“I feel like I’m paying for the cost of being in McCombs,” Anaya said.  

In fall 2020, Anaya only took one class for McCombs. However, she still paid the higher tuition rate associated with her college.

While McCombs is an excellent business school, it is unfair for its students to pay more for the privilege of its name.

Additionally, students in other disciplines at UT may feel as though they are receiving less resources simply because the school doesn’t prioritize them.  

“There’s a lot of talk (among students) about how UT cares more about the McCombs and Cockrell students … Tuition discrepancy is a big indicator of that,” said Raghav Aggarwal, international relations and global studies and economics freshman.

In comparison with his classes in the College of Liberal Arts, the school with the lowest tuition, Aggarwal said that his experience with a course hosted in one of the McCombs buildings is notably different. 

“(My class in the McCombs building) is very different from my other classes in that my professor in the lecture hall has so many technological materials at his disposal,” Aggarwal said.

Larry Singell, senior vice provost of resource management, said that although he sympathizes with students, there is a reason for UT’s college budgets.

“(UT) budgets on the basis of a historical model (that considers) the academic contribution of each of these (disciplines),” Singell said. 

Allocation of resources based on the notion that certain disciplines contribute more to the academic quality of a school is inherently demeaning to students whose interests do not fall under the umbrella of traditional priority.

Determining the distribution of limited resources is indeed a complex issue. The standardization of tuition rates across UT’s undergraduate colleges would help to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources so long as steps are taken to ensure the burden of funding one college’s resources is not placed on another.

Ultimately, regardless of college, all students at UT should be treated fairly and offered the necessary scope of resources to thrive, and that involves standardizing tuition rates.

Tran is a Plan II and English freshman from Houston, Texas. 

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About the Contributor
Megan is a 3rd year student from Houston, Texas studying Plan II, English, and Sociology. She was the Texan's Editor-in-Chief for the 2022-2023 academic year.
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Standardize tuition rates across colleges