Temple University announced today a freeze on base tuition for in-state and out-of-state undergraduate students enrolled for the 2012-13 academic year.

No increase means base tuition for undergraduate in-state students will remain at $13,006.

The freeze was announced today by Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick J. O'Connor after an executive committee meeting of the board.

“Rising student debt is one of the major issues facing this nation today. Temple is committed to being a national leader in the effort to offer an affordable quality education,” said O’Connor.

In addition to holding tuition steady, the chairman said Temple will make an additional $8 million in financial aid available to students.

The actions will help families who look to Temple as a great education opportunity, said Richard M. Englert, who assumes the acting president role on July 1.

"Temple has been known for more than 125 years for placing a top priority on access and excellence. These steps help in a very real and measurable way to ensure that Temple remains a terrific value in higher education," said Englert.

The university has also begun a significant, multi-year effort focused on raising money for student scholarship from alumni and friends.

"This is going to be an all-out effort. We are going to ask everyone who cares about the university to step up and take action. We need them to invest in our students," said O'Connor.

In addition to the tuition freeze, increased financial aid and scholarship campaign, the university will also:

• Continue to control operating costs. Temple has already cut more than $113 million in operating costs over the last three years, while preserving the quality of its educational offerings.
• Keep mandatory fees at $295 per semester.
• Hold base tuition stable for students in the majority of graduate programs.
  
  

Englert noted that the university's decision not to raise tuition was aided by the action of the governor and state General Assembly. Based on final passage of the commonwealth's budget, the university's appropriation will remain at $139.9 million.

"We would like to thank the leadership in the General Assembly, as well as Gov. Corbett, for maintaining the current year’s funding level for the university during uncertain economic times," said O'Connor.

Modest increases will take place for some professional programs. In addition, some schools and colleges charge additional rates to subsidize specialized programs.

Temple anticipates an entering class of approximately 7,000 students in the fall of 2012, bringing Temple's total student population to nearly 40,000.

A full list of the tuition rates is available at the Office of the Bursar website.

More information about supporting Temple's students is available at myowlspace.com/scholarships.