Attending college in Nevada is about to get more expensive. 

After a marathon public meeting filled with emotional student testimony in January, the Board of Regents voted to approve a three-year tuition increase across the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), raising costs for students beginning in Fall 2026. 

The board approved the measure in a 8-5 vote following nearly six hours of discussion and public comment. Under the plan, tuition and fees will rise by 12% at UNLV and the University of Nevada, Reno, while community college students will see a 9% increase. 

University leaders say the hike is necessary to fill a budget gap created by state-mandated staff pay raises. Without additional revenue, officials warned the system could face difficult cuts, including the potential loss of up to 300 faculty positions. 

“This action isn’t about expansion,” said Chris Viton, vice chancellor of budget and finance for the NSHE. “This is about stabilization and maintaining the foundation of our core institutions.”

The increase will be phased in gradually over three academic years. Tuition at the state’s two flagship universities will rise 3% in the 2026-27 school year, followed by 4% in 2027-28 and 5% in 2028-29. Community colleges will see smaller annual increases by 2%, 3% and 4%, respectively, over the same time period. 

The decision drew strong opposition from students who say rising costs are already pushing college out of reach. 

“As you have heard from my colleagues, our student governments representing the voices of more than 27,000 undergraduate students formally oppose the proposed tuition increase,” said Kelechi Odunze, student body president of the Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “Students understand that our institutions face a financial crisis, but what we reject is the idea that those challenges should be placed on the backs of students.”

Dozens of students addressed the board during the public comment period, describing the financial pressure of balancing tuition, housing and living costs while trying to stay enrolled. 

“I am 23 years old and I cannot afford college,” said UNLV student Zina Hajji. “Trust me, I’ve been working and studying and doing what I can to ensure my immigrant parents’ struggles don’t go to waste. But you cannot work a summer job and make enough to take a semester anymore.”

For many students, Hajji says, the result is an academic path filled with interruptions. 

“I’ve been forced to choose withdrawal or constant pauses in my academic career because of the pressure that school causes financially,” she said. 

Data from the federal College Scorecard shows that about 28% of full-time, first-time undergraduate students at both UNLV and UNR rely on federal student loans. Graduated students leave with a median debt load of about $19,000. 

According to educationdata.org, student debt totals about $12.7 billion across the state as of November 2025, one of the highest totals in the Western region. 

Some regents expressed hesitation about raising costs for students. 

“I recommend that in the 2027 legislative session, the Board of Regents, student leaders and the Legislature meet and figure out a funding solution that works for all of us,” Aaron Bautista said before the vote. “I’m against the tuition hike as it stands. As an elected official, I work for the community that voted me in.”

Others argued the increase was unavoidable. 

“I’m not about raising fees just to raise fees,” fellow regent Pete Goicoechea said. “But folks, we’ve got a hole. It’s a business decision.”

For students across Nevada, however, the decision signals a future where the cost of higher education continues to rise and where finishing a degree may become increasingly difficult without taking on even more debt.

Programs that provide academic or financial support for college

For many students, the price tag attached to higher education can feel overwhelming. But a range of scholarships, grants and support programs are designed to ease the financial burden and help students stay on track toward a degree. 

Some programs focus on covering tuition and fees, while others provide academic support and guidance that can be just as critical for students navigating college for the first time. One example of the latter is TRIO, a federally funded initiative available at campuses such as UNLV, UNR, College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State University. 

TRIO serves first-generation and low-income college students who are working toward their bachelor’s degree by offering tutoring, advising, federal aid assistance and career or graduate school counseling. At UNLV, about 700 students participate in the program, which includes specialized tracks for general studies, STEM majors and students preparing for careers in education. 

Other initiatives directly address tuition costs. The Rebel Edge Program at UNLV offers Nevada students from households earning less than $68,000 free tuition and fees for up to 15 credits per semester after other aid is applied, plus a $1,000 annual book stipend. 

Community college students may qualify for the Nevada Promise Scholarship, created by the Nevada Legislature, which allows recent high school graduates to attend community college with most tuition and fees covered for up to three years.

At UNR, the Pack Promise+ program can provide up to $11,750 in gift aide for tuition, fees and books. 

For students who are willing to search and apply, these programs show that paying for college may be more manageable than it first appears.

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