With the start of the 2020-21 academic year having most students receive their education remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the question that now comes into play is the cost of their education.

Similar to universities like Harvard who will have full tuition costs for undergraduates taking online classes, FAU’s costs for tuition and fees will also remain unchanged for the 2020-21 academic year compared to 2019-20, according to their tuition breakdown.

FAU’s costs for tuition and fees for undergraduates this year will be $201.29 for each credit hour taken.

According to FAU’s Financial Affairs, even though they do have flexibility in adjusting most fees that are applied to student course registration, they have no authority to adjust tuition rates at any time because the State Legislature determines the cost of tuition.

“Tuition is set by the State Legislature and we have no authority to adjust these rates at any time,” Financial Affairs said.

Tuition may be staying the same, but students will not have to worry about getting costs added on to them for the materials it’s taking to adjust to COVID-19 regulations.

“The University has taken on additional costs to prepare for and deliver a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors and we are not passing these costs onto the students,” Financial Affairs said.

Despite the pandemic, FAU is making an effort with the plans they have to keep students safe.

“We have labored throughout the summer to achieve the Board of Governor’s expectations of all Universities reopening the on-campus experience for students this fall which includes live course instruction in the classroom, students occupying our residential life buildings, meals served and available on campus and athletic events held to the best extent possible,” Financial Affairs said.

For students returning to campus, to meet expectations to ensure a safe and healthy environment, Financial Affairs expended significant resources in reconfiguring spaces, acquired materials to create barriers, acquired sanitation and personal protection supplies as well as expanding resources to prepare for alternative delivery of remote course instruction (i.e. technology upgrades to classrooms, etc.) to be available now or in the future if health safety dictates.

“As we welcome students back to campus, we will continue offering student health services, advising services, financial aid support, enhanced technology in classrooms to ensure that students are well served and successful in their educational endeavors,” Financial Affairs said. “Additionally, we will continue offering parking and transportation services and police personnel so that students, faculty, staff, and visitors have a positive and safe experience while on our campus.”

As for the FAU Cares Emergency Fund, Financial Affairs stated it was established by the FAU Foundation in response to the economic effects of COVID-19 on students.

“The Foundation received over 900 financial gifts totaling $370,000 in donations which have since been provided to students,” Financial Affairs said. “The Foundation continues to seek donations for the fund.”

In case the pandemic continues past the Fall 2020 semester, Financial Affairs will work to find solutions to reduce costs for students.

Financial Affairs conclude, “We are extremely sensitive to the financial challenges facing students and if conditions change which allow[s] us to reduce costs without reducing the health safety expectations of our students and faculty, we will seek to pass those savings on to our students through lower fees and other mechanisms.”

Richard Pereira is a staff writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @Rich26Pereira.