Board of Visitors to consider 2026-27 tuition and fees at April 14 meeting; virtual public comment opportunity scheduled for April 2

Virginia Tech News

15 Mar 2026

People walk near a Virginia Tech sign — People walk outside Squires on the Blacksburg campus. Photo by Luke Hayes for Virginia Tech.

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will meet on Tuesday, April 14, at 1:15 p.m. in the Latham Ballroom at The Inn at Virginia Tech, 901 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, to consider tuition and mandatory fees for the 2026-27 (FY27) academic year.

In advance of the April board meeting, Virginia Tech will provide a virtual public comment opportunity on Thursday, April 2, at 1:30 pm. The link to observe this event or to pre-register to speak will be posted on the Board of Visitors website. Several members of the Board of Visitors will participate virtually as university officials provide an overview of proposed tuition and fees ranges and to receive public comment consistent with guidelines posted to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors website.

Tuition supports the university’s major strategic initiatives - Virginia Tech Global Distinction and Virginia Tech Advantage - and serves as the primary source of operating revenue for delivering academic programs to our students. Tuition is set in the context of university cost drivers and available state funding for the university’s Educational and General (E&G) programs. The university routinely prioritizes the affordability of a Virginia Tech degree while making targeted investments that enhance the value of a Virginia Tech education to both students and the commonwealth and in a manner that continues to position the university as a leader in teaching, research, and outreach.

With a heightened focus on student affordability, the university launched the Virginia Tech Advantage program three years ago as a way to leverage state, philanthropic, and university resources to reduce unmet financial need and increase support for students’ basic needs, career preparation, and transformational learning experiences. In addition to the Virginia Tech Advantage, the university continues to mitigate tuition increases through the strategic alignment of incremental state funding, cost containment strategies, administrative efficiencies, and internal reallocations to maximize available resources.

As a result of these continued efforts, the board has been able to limit the cumulative in-state undergraduate tuition increase to well below the rate of inflation over the last five years. This was achieved while making a sustained commitment to advancing first-generation and low-income student enrollment, increasing institutional support for student financial aid, and advancing critical initiatives that enhance Virginia Tech’s mission as a leading global land-grant institution.

For FY27, the university administration is modeling increases in tuition and E&G fees from 0 to 2.9 percent, which is consistent with the 2.9 percent increase included in the university’s six-year plan approved by the Board of Visitors in November. Through Funds for the Future, Virginia Tech will provide incremental aid to undergraduate families with incomes below $115,000, sheltering them from tuition and fee increases in FY27. The university administration will also recommend increases between $0 and $160 for mandatory non-E&G fees to support mandated cost increases including employee salaries and benefits, support for Intercollegiate Athletics, and sustaining and enhancing student services including the transit system and student health/counseling services. Even with projected increases, Virginia Tech maintains the lowest mandatory non-E&G fees among public four-year institutions in the commonwealth.

April 2 public comment guidelines

Following an overview of proposed tuition and fees ranges at the April 2 virtual event, there will be an opportunity for public comment. Those interested in participating in the virtual public comment event must pre-register at the Board of Visitors website on a first-come, first-served basis no later than Thursday, March 26. Speakers will be asked to specify their affiliation with the university (current student, parent, alumnus, faculty or staff, member of the public).

The public comment session will be held for a minimum of 15 minutes with the option to increase up to a total of 60 minutes if there is sufficient demand. If time remains after the pre-registered speakers offer their comments, additional speakers may be offered the opportunity to speak during the remaining time on a first-come, first-served basis. For those wishing to speak who did not pre-register, requests may be submitted via email to vppg@vt.edu between 1:30 and 2 p.m. on April 2.

In addition, there will be dedicated time slots for a representative from the Undergraduate Student Senate and from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate to provide a statement on behalf of their respective constituency. This does not preclude individual students from registering to speak during the public comment period or from providing written comments.

Each speaker will be limited to three minutes and must restrict their comments to tuition and fees only. Speakers wishing to have their comments entered in the public record must submit a typed copy via email to bov@vt.edu by April 6.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please send an email to vppg@vt.edu or call 540-231-6232 during regular business hours at least 10 days prior to the event.

The April 2 virtual public comment event will also be live streamed for those who wish to observe (without offering comment). The link will be provided at the Board of Visitors website. However, those wishing to make comments must register in accordance with the instructions above.