DSU announces tuition increase

Delaware State University announced today that it will increase its tuition by $250 each semester, as part of a four-year plan approved in 2023. The University will also modify its housing rates, which will continue to be based on student residential hall/apartment choice.

“We have been, are, and will continue to be the best return on investment in higher education for students and their families in Delaware,” said Tony Allen, President of Delaware State University. “These increases are part of a broader, long-term plan to ensure the financial sustainability of the University and position us for responsible growth well into the future – while keeping students at the center of everything we do.”

The increase will not affect Inspire Scholarship students or full scholarship recipients. Additionally, both in-state and out-of-state students whose families earn less than $30,000 per year will continue to experience decreased cost of attendance.

DSU Chief Financial Officer Anas Ben Addi notes that tuition, fees, and public funding do not cover the University’s actual cost.

“We never plan to fill the gap by simply raising tuition,” Mr. Ben Addi said. “Still, modest increases are important as we fill the difference with private fundraising, ongoing contracting and research opportunities, and federal and state appropriations as necessary and appropriate.”

More than 70 percent of students at DSU are Pell Grant eligible, and 56% are the first in their families to attend college. These numbers represent the highest proportion among all four-year institutions of higher education in Delaware.

“Delaware State University is the only HBCU in the state and among the best HBCUs in the nation,” said Patrice Gilliam-Johnson, Provost of Delaware State University. “The most critical aspect of our mission is to extend opportunities to more students to prepare them for a faster, more connected world. To do that effectively, we must be on sound financial footing moving forward.”