During a virtual special meeting on Wednesday, the University of Florida Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a 10% increase in non-resident student fees, effective this fall. 

The vote comes nearly a month after UF announced a proposed increase in out-of-state student fees.  

That announcement came on the heels of a vote by the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) to allow all universities in the state to increase out-of-state student fees by 10% this fall and 15% by the fall of 2026. 

It’s been more than 10 years since UF increased its out-of-state costs. 

With the board’s approval on Wednesday, the non-resident undergraduate fee will go from the current $707.21 to $777.93 – a price jump of $70.72.  

Non-resident graduate students, meanwhile, will see an increase of just over $69 from the current $690.21 to $759.23.  

The increase will also apply to out-of-state student financial aid fees, according to UF’s public notice.  

For non-resident undergraduate students, financial aid fees will rise from $35.36 to $38.89, while the cost for non-resident graduate students will increase from $34.51 to $37.96. 

During Wednesday’s meeting, Nick Kozlov, UF’s interim chief financial officer, said funds from the fee increase will be used to “offset instructional costs serving non-resident students and to sustain academic quality initiatives across our entire student population.” 

Kozlov also said that fiscal year 2026 will be financially challenging for UF. 

“We’ve already seen approximately $55 million cut from our state allocation for operations compared to fiscal [year] 2025,” he said. “We’re simultaneously seeing more increases in our employee benefit costs, driven by state health and retirement plans. Altogether, that is a $130 million deficit.” 

Despite the fee increase, the cost of attendance at UF will remain among the lowest in the country for out-of-state students. 

While he was supportive of the fee increase, Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini said it was important that the board “be sensitive” to the reality that the increase will impact some of UF’s returning non-resident students more than others.  

Before voting on the increase, Hosseini offered a proposal that would allow returning out-of-state students who demonstrate significant financial hardship as a result of the increase to receive a one-year waiver.  

The board approved this proposal unanimously, along with the proposed fee increase.  

Also during the meeting, the Board of Trustees ratified two tentative three-year collective bargaining agreements between UF and the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) that would give University of Florida Police Department (UFPD) lieutenants, officers and sergeants a $13,000 raise, and dispatchers an $8,875 pay increase. 

UF and UFPD had been involved in ongoing salary negotiations prior to a tentative agreement being reached on July 15.  

Hosseini concluded Wednesday’s meeting by giving a brief update on UF’s ongoing presidential search.  

Dr. Santa Ono, the Board of Trustees’ sole finalist for the university’s next president, was rejected in a 10-6 vote by the Board of Governors in June.  

Hosseini said UF is searching for an interim president and that it will “hopefully start a new presidential search this coming year.” 

Kent Fuchs has been serving as UF’s interim president since August 2024 following the resignation of former President Ben Sasse.  

Fuchs’ contract is set to expire on July 31.  

Steve Orlando, a spokesperson for UF, confirmed in an email to Mainstreet on Wednesday that Fuchs will not be renewing his contract.  

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News.