President Alger sent an email on March 17 announcing a 4 percent tuition increase. The University’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America is now urging students to sign a “Tuition Hike” petition to protest against the raise.
On March 18, YDSA posted an infographic regarding President Jonathan Alger’s statement, highlighting the increase in the University’s cost of attendance from $81,330 to $84,582. President Jonathan Alger’s email included a 2026-2027 financial aid and tuition fact sheet, which says that the increase allows the University to provide more student financial aid.
“Our ongoing investment in student financial aid and the responsible approach to tuition and fees in a time of financial uncertainty ensures we can continue providing the student-focused, accessible education that is a hallmark of American University,” Alger said in the statement.
This isn’t the first time the University has increased its cost of attendance. In 2025, the University increased its tuition by 4 percent, including a 4.5 percent increase in on-campus housing and an 8 percent increase for meal plans, according to the annual budget report.
Danielle Adusei, a sophomore in the School of Communication, said she is worried about what next semester is going to look like. Adusei said living in Roper Hall has been the cheapest option for her, allowing her to stay on campus and better manage the financial stress that being at the University brings.
“I feel as if AU is very money-hungry,” Adusei said. “I was barely able to afford housing on campus, but now it’s going to be even more impossible.”
Some students said they have already been affected by the University’s cost-cutting measures regarding work on campus, especially through the Federal Work Study program. According to the University’s help page on FWS, students are awarded $2,000 in compliance with D.C.’s minimum wage, but are limited to only working up to five hours a week.
There are many jobs on campus that are FWS-eligible, however that doesn’t guarantee that students will be able to work a set number of hours per week, according to Matt Bennett, vice president of communication at the University.
Departments on-campus are responsible for determining how many hours are available for student workers depending on their role, according to Bennett in a statement given to The Eagle.
“Most AU student positions are FWS-eligible, with limited federally mandated exceptions. We are continuing to work with campus partners to monitor feedback and improve clarity around how the program operates,” Bennett said.
Xavier Stokely, a sophomore in SOC, said students have limited options when it comes to dealing with the financial burden of attending the University, especially when securing a job on campus becomes increasingly difficult.
Stokely said he applied for multiple jobs and a Resident Assistant position to help with the cost, but received no responses. He said when the University increases costs, but makes it harder for students to get jobs on campus or qualify for discounted housing through the RA positions, it makes it difficult to pay what’s owed.
“I’m paying over 2k a month, for essentially a furnished jail cell — and that’s not even food!” Stokely said.
Stokely also expressed frustration at the tuition increase notification being delivered via email.
Stokley said he has noticed students are growing restless with the number of emails that get sent each day. Important updates that could drastically affect students’ lives should be communicated more overtly, he said.
“I don’t feel like admin gives students the chance to have upfront dialogue about what’s going on in the school,” Stokley said. “We have to get five-times-edited press releases to our emails that are going to get lost.”
College Tuition Compare, a site that collects university tuition and admission data, found that AU’s tuition has increased over 36 percent since 2015. The University’s tuition increase rate is higher than the D.C. colleges’ average rate of about 11.5 percent.
In 2025, the University increased the overall cost of mandatory student fees from $819 to $1,100 per year for the first time in 10 years.
Edward Lulo, a junior in the School of International Service, said the University fails to prioritize and cater to the needs of students. Lulo said he believes the administration’s mismanagement of student affairs will be to its detriment.
“If the administration doesn’t begin to communicate to students, respect students’ wishes and grow a spine, frankly, then no one’s going to want to go here anymore,” Lulo said.
Based on the University’s FY25 Enrollment and Budget update memo, research shows AU came below its target for first-year undergraduate enrollment by roughly 10 percent, leading to a drop in the overall undergraduate enrollment by 4 percent.
Students like Lulo feel that they’re not getting their return on their investment with the persistent increases in tuition.
“If people don’t want to go here because it’s too expensive, they don’t feel that their money is being put to good use and they don’t feel like they’re getting a return on their investment, people won’t go to American University,” Lulo said.
This article was edited by Abigail Hatting, Payton Anderson and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Paige Caron, Mattie Lupo and Jaden Maitland Anderson. Fact-checking done by Andrew Kummeth.
