By ALEXANDER TETEN
tetensa@lopers.unk.edu

The New Nebraskan Scholarship will lower out-of-state tuition for incoming 2021 students. The goal is to help boost UNK’s enrollment and introduce more students to campus.

The UNK Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid has unveiled a new opportunity for both returning and new students from outside of Nebraska. The “New Nebraskan” scholarship aims to slash out-of-state tuition costs down to the same level as in-state. With the new available scholarship, UNK should expect an increase in student enrollment next year.

Kelly Bartling, the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Managing and Marketing, believes that this new opportunity can open up new pathways for previously-hesitant students.

“We’re indicating that we recognize that the higher tuition cost for out-of-state students may be a barrier for their enrollment at UNK” Bartling said. “We’re approaching it as a discount or scholarship that reduces their tuition so it’s the same as what Nebraskans pay.”

The New Nebraskan scholarship was inspired by President Carter and Chancellor Christenson in their strive to make tuition affordable and accessible for as many people as possible. By opening such a new opportunity, they also hope to help improve Nebraska’s workforce and quality of life by having more incoming students take up jobs in the state. Once set into effect, the scholarship could be potentially revolutionary.

According to UNK’s website, the scholarship is the first of its kind in the entire state.

“Kearney will be the only University of Nebraska campus to offer the new tuition discount. In 2018, UNK began offering a similar in-state tuition discount to residents of Colorado and Kansas, which resulted in enrollment increases from those two states”

The scholarship will be applied and offered in the fall 2021 semester for new arriving students of any year—freshman or senior, it will apply all the same. As far as duration, Bartling hopes that UNK will keep offering the scholarship indefinitely. However, the program does not extend to overseas students, nor does it apply to students taking online-only courses. Bartling stressed that the scholarship is only effective when students are attending on-campus classes.

Bartling also said that this new scholarship is just one step to increase UNK’s national appeal.

“Our recruitment and enrollment plan outlines many strategies to increase UNK’s appeal, and scholarships and pricing are only one ‘lever’ or tool that we can use to package UNK in a way that makes students decide UNK is the right place for them.” Bartling said. “The experience here matters most.”

The initiative is to welcome new students from across the nation to Nebraska, and, hopefully, show them that Nebraska is a place to call home. Starting fall 2021, students can expect a large influx of new students from around the country with UNK’s new, groundbreaking opportunity.