Newswise — The University of Illinois College of Medicine will reduce its tuition rates for all students, beginning with the 2020-21 academic year. The decision was approved today by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.
Tuition rates at the College of Medicine will decrease by 2.1% for in-state students and 16% for out-of-state students.
“The rising indebtedness of medical students upon graduation is an issue across the country,” said Dr. Mark Rosenblatt, executive dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine. “As one of the nation’s largest medical schools, the College of Medicine remains committed to providing a high-quality, accessible and affordable education for all our students. Most dramatically, these reductions translate to a savings over the four years of study totaling more than $60,000 for out-of-state students.
“As we considered the rising debts faced by medical students both here and across the country, we felt it was critical to take this measure,” Rosenblatt said. “The decision to reduce tuition is not something we commonly see from institutions of higher education, however, this move will help ensure that our College of Medicine continues to attract and educate the brightest and most diverse students. And while this move decreases tuition for all students, we can assure students that our commitment to providing an innovative education of the highest quality will never waver.”
“At the University of Illinois at Chicago we are steadfast in our commitment to delivering opportunity and a world class education to students from all backgrounds who want to study in a diverse, urban and public-serving environment,” said UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis. “Our College of Medicine attracts some of the brightest students in the country – many of whom are eager to tackle significant social issues like public health policy and the health disparities experienced by underrepresented communities – and we believe reducing tuition will give these students their best chance for success.”
“The decision to reduce tuition is consistent with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and should result in increased access to an affordable medical education for all interested applicants,” said Dr. Trevonne Thompson, associate dean for admissions at the college.
The University of Illinois College of Medicine is one of the largest and most diverse medical schools in the country, with an entering class roughly twice the size of the average medical school. More than 25% of students are from traditionally underrepresented groups. One in five physicians in Illinois received his or her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and more than 40% of Illinois physicians completed some portion of their medical school, residency or fellowship training through the college.
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