FIU drops 15% tuition hike plan for online engineering master's

Florida International University has withdrawn its plan to raise tuition for the online Master of Science in Engineering Management program. The university announced the change in an update to a public notice originally distributed on October 12. As a result, the Board of Trustees will not vote on the increase during its meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 10.

The rescinded proposal would have raised the market tuition rate by 15 percent. Under the original plan, the cost per credit hour would have jumped from $833.33 to $958.33 for both resident and non-resident students. That added $125.00 per credit hour was set to take effect in the fall of 2027. Because the proposal is now off the table, the current rate of $833.33 remains in place.

The MSEM program operates under market tuition rates, a status approved by the Florida Board of Governors in November 2015. University officials stated that the initial request for a hike was designed to cover operating expenses. These costs include faculty salaries, teaching technologies, and student support services. The administration argued that the additional revenue was needed to retain experts and invest in emerging technologies to keep the program competitive.

The October 12 notice specified that the proposed increase would have applied to all currently enrolled students as well as those admitted after the change took effect. It also clarified that the move would not impact tuition or fees for undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and Computing or other colleges. The Board of Trustees meeting is still scheduled for 9 a.m. on November 10, but the tuition item has been removed from the agenda.

FIU sent the initial notice via email to all enrolled students in accordance with state law. The university has confirmed that the market tuition rate for the online MSEM program remains unchanged. Further details regarding the board meeting are available on the FIU Board of Trustees website.