Starting in the 2023-24 academic year, University of Wyoming undergraduate students taking 12-18 credit hours per semester will pay the same amount of tuition, following action by the UW Board of Trustees Thursday.

The board approved an administrative recommendation to move to a block tuition model, a change from the current billing practice for full-time students — those taking at least 12 credits per semester — paying tuition on a per-credit basis. The change also applies to graduate students taking 9-12 credit hours.

As part of a comprehensive student success initiative, the block tuition model encourages students to take at least 15 credits per semester and thereby graduate in four years, potentially reducing student loan debt; increase graduation rates; provide more transparency and predictability regarding the cost of a degree; and simplify the billing process.

An appeals process will be established for students with special circumstances who are unable to enroll in 15 credit hours. Exceptions to the block tuition policy will include: students in official university-sponsored activities, primarily student-athletes; students with disabilities or health issues; graduating seniors who need fewer than 15 credits or fewer than 30 hours in their final academic year; students studying abroad; students completing internships; students limited to fewer than 15 credits due to curricular structure; and students who are under contractual agreements that limit enrollment to fewer than 15 hours.

Separately, the Board of Trustees voted to increase base resident and nonresident tuition rates by 4 percent for the 2023-24 academic year. Trustees deferred action on a separate proposal calling for some increases for students in professional and differential graduate programs.

During the current academic year, a Wyoming resident undergraduate student taking 15 credit hours pays $2,400 in tuition for a semester. The board’s actions will increase the cost to $2,490 per semester starting next fall — under the block tuition change, that will be the tuition level for all resident students taking between 12-18 credits.

A nonresident undergraduate taking 15 credits currently pays $9,975 in tuition per semester. That will increase to $10,380 next fall — all nonresident students taking 12-18 credits will pay the same amount.

Even with the increases, UW’s tuition rate for resident undergraduates will remain among the lowest in the nation, and nonresident tuition also will be comparatively low.