The incoming class attending the University of New Hampshire was awarded $40 million in financial aid, the most given in the university’s history.
Last year, 88% of the freshman 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 guidelines around financial aid 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.”
