For years, colleges and universities welcomed full-pay international students to help balance out their traditional student tuition discount rate. But with a downtrend in international student interest due to changes in the political climate, some institutions are changing their pricing structure to attract more international students.
Reported by Inside Higher Ed, Eastern Michigan University has announced that international undergraduate students will now pay the same low tuition rate as their in-state undergraduate students. This is a 60% tuition reduction in an attempt to be seen as a highly affordable option for international students.
The takeaway here? While full-pay international students used to be a critical revenue driver for tuition-driven institutions, in a climate with less international student interest, it may require alternative pricing strategies to incorporate and grow international student numbers in your incoming class mix.
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