The University of New Hampshire awarded $40 million in financial aid to its incoming class this year, the most awarded to any incoming class in the university’s history.
Last year, 88% of the class received financial aid, with an average award of $12,400. This year, that average climbed to more than $16,000, with almost every enrolled student — 96% — receiving aid, according to university spokesperson Tania deLuzuriaga.
The increase in aid was not due to more public funding, said Kimberly DeRego, vice provost of enrollment management. Rather, DeRego said, the university made changes to its budgeting policies that allowed it to increase some of its merit and need-based scholarships.
Additionally, more students who applied and decided to attend UNH this year were eligible for these scholarships: The class of 2030 had an average high school GPA of 3.7 and enrolled 322 students in UNH’s Hamel Honors and Scholars College, a 20% increase over last year, according to the university.
DeRego said more students demonstrated greater need, as well.
Families have expressed concerns about affordability for years, DeRego said. Improving financial aid has been an ongoing effort for the university.
“We lose a lot of students to out of state institutions because they’re able to give more financial aid,” deLuzuriaga said. “When you take cost out of the equation, they can pick the program that they feel like is really truly best for them.”
Last year, in-state tuition at UNH was $19,202, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator. Out-of-state tuition was $39,852.
“We’re hoping that for our families, it helps them to realize college is attainable for more students,” DeRego said. “I think that’s our hope, and that’s why we do these policies.”
