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Province extends tuition freeze for 2018-19 school year

Nov 30, 2017 | 12:50 PM

EDMONTON — The provincial government has announced its tuition freeze for post-secondary students has been extended for another year.

During an appearance at MacEwan University, Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt announce d the province’s post-secondary tuition freeze would be extended until the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

“By keeping costs frozen our government has ensured affordable access to post-secondary education,” he said in a news release. “We know that affordable post-secondary education is important to Albertans and is key to our growing economy. That is why we are freezing tuition for another year as we prepare to bring forward long-term tuition and funding policies in the new year.”

The freeze means students will save approximately $1,500 over four year sin tuition costs, according to the news release. The provincial government says it plans to implement a backfill payment to publicly funded institutions with provincially regulated tuition. The payment will compensate colleges and universities for the additional tuition revenue that they would have received.

The government is reviewing funding models for all post-secondary institutions in the province, and will share information about long-term tuition and funding strategies in 2018.