Undergraduate tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year is set to increase by 4.5%, going from $68,240 to $71,310 before financial aid is applied. Housing costs, meal plans, student activity fees, and student health fees will increase concurrently.

WashU’s Brown School will be the first in the nation to fully fund practicum credits and offer living stipends for all Master of Social Work (MSW) students starting this upcoming fall semester. The Practicum Support Award will cover the costs of both the foundation and concentration practicums, totaling 960 hours needed to complete WashU’s MSW.

But what I loved most about WashU was that I had the option of commuting from home starting my sophomore year. The commute would save me almost $20,000 of WashU housing and meal fees, which, coming from a single-parent household, held a lot of appeal.

I am thankful for initiatives like the WashU Pledge and the adoption of need-blind admissions, but WashU must do more. Several of my friends and classmates have transferred due to rising costs, and prospective students are increasingly ranking other schools above WashU because of financial concerns. WashU is losing talent not just from lower economic backgrounds, but also those from the middle class.

I pose this question to the University: if applicants who don’t need to consider price in their college decision have a better chance of being accepted, do we truly have need-blind admissions?

Washington University students and parents were notified of a tuition increase for the 2025-2026 academic year via an email on March 27. Tuition will be $68,240 next year, reflecting a $3,740 increase — 5.8% higher than this year’s rate — making it the largest tuition increase in the past 11 years.

I am deeply in support of the expansion of university resources and the long-term sustainability of higher education. I am not convinced, however, that tying up billions of dollars in private capital is the best way to fulfill WashU’s obligations as an educational institution.

Student Union hosted a Financial Overview detailing spending and income, future financial plans for the University, and how tuition is used in Tisch Commons on March 28.

Washington University Chancellor Andrew Martin sat down for an interview with Student Life on March 5, nearly a year after his last Q&A in April 2023. Martin spoke about recent student activism on campus, the state of the endowment, the University’s recent and future property purchases, and where he buys his glasses.

This year’s tuition raise is the highest since 2014 with little to no information on how the money will be spent.