JMU opens public comment period on proposed 2026–27 tuition and fees

Dear JMU Students,

The James Madison University Board of Visitors will receive public comments on the proposed tuition and fee ranges for the 2026-27 academic year. 

The public comment meeting will be held April 15, 2026 from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., in the Board Room of the Festival Conference and Student Center, 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.  The public comment meeting will begin with an overview of tuition and fees as well as factors associated with setting these rates each year. Students and community members will then have an opportunity to share their comments with members of the Board. Individuals have the opportunity to submit comments online ahead of the meeting, share comments during the public comment meeting, or email comments (see below). Comments submitted electronically will be provided to the Board prior to the next full Board meeting. 

Tuition and fees are approved by the Board annually and, in accordance with section §23.1-307 (D), (E) and (F) of the Code of Virginia, JMU is providing notice that the Board will consider tuition and mandatory fees for the 2026-27 academic year at its full Board meeting scheduled on Friday, April 24, 2026. 

For planning purposes, JMU is considering the following Educational and General (E&G) tuition and mandatory auxiliary fee ranges for undergraduate and graduate students for the 2026-27 academic year and summer session 2027: 

Academic Year 2026-27

Tuition and E&G Fees

• Virginia undergraduate students – Annual tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $250 or 0% and 3%; upper range $125 per semester
• Non-resident undergraduate students – Annual tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $512 or 0% and 2%; upper range $256 per semester
• Virginia graduate students – Annual tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $15 per credit hour or 0% and 3%
• Non-resident graduate students – Annual tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $25 per credit hour or 0% and 2%

Auxiliary Mandatory Fee

• Virginia and non-resident undergraduate students – Annual mandatory auxiliary fee increase within a range between $0 and $268 or 0% and 4.5%; upper range $134 per semester
• Virginia and non-resident graduate students – Annual mandatory auxiliary fee increase within a range between $0 and $2 per credit hour or 0% and 3.7% 

Summer Session 2027

Tuition and E&G Fees

• Virginia undergraduate students – Tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $13 per credit hour or 0% and 3%
• Non-resident undergraduate students – Tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $20 per credit hour or 0% and 2%
• Virginia graduate students – Tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $15 per credit hour or 0% and 3%
• Non-resident graduate students – Tuition and E&G fee increase within a range between $0 and $23 per credit hour or 0% and 2.0%

Auxiliary Mandatory Fee

• All students – Mandatory auxiliary fee increase within a range between $0 and $1 per credit hour or 0% and 3.5%

Tuition and auxiliary fee revenues will be used toward the institutional share of projected state-mandated compensation, fringe benefits, and health insurance premium increases for university employees, inflationary impacts on operations, and advancing the objectives of the university’s new strategic plan and institutional priorities.

JMU continues to be a leader in navigating pathways for student success, academic achievement, and post-graduation employment while remaining an outstanding value with one of the lowest in-state tuition rates and costs of attendance in the commonwealth.

Public Comment Meeting

If you would like to share your comments during the public comment meeting on April 15, please call 540-568-5966, Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. to schedule a five-minute time slot.  Please call to reserve a time by Monday, April 13, 2026. 

If you would like to submit your comments electronically, please complete a Qualtrics survey at this link: Public Comment on 2026-27 Tuition & Fees, or email your comments to bovsecretary@jmu.edu.

If you would like to listen to the public comment meeting, click this link:

If you should have any difficulties during the meeting, please contact Mary-Hope Vass at vassmg@jmu.edu or 540-742-1664.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact Dr. David Kirkpatrick, Secretary to the Board of Visitors, at bovsecretary@jmu.edu or 540-568-5966.