A tuition fee freeze for the 2012-13 academic year has been announced by Barry University in Florida. Barry University serves 3,000 undergraduate students and is happy to announce that current and new students won’t see any increase at all in the tuition rate of $28,160.

Barry has a long history of providing access to academically talented students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.  As such, the University offers a generous scholarship program that rewards high school academic achievement for incoming freshmen and college achievement for entering transfer students.

This freeze is in direct contrast to the plans of the nearby University of Florida and Florida State University. UF President Bernie Machen is currently trying to persuade Florida Governor Rick Scott to sign into law the bill, passed by lawmakers last month, which would allow state universities meeting academic and research benchmarks to raise tuition fees beyond the current 15% annual cap. UF and FSU are currently the only universities reaching these targets.

If the bill becomes law, UF still would need the approval of the Florida Board of Governors to increase tuition. The measure also would allow institutions meeting the benchmarks to require incoming freshmen to take nine to 12 credits that can’t be fulfilled from advanced credits earned in high school.

University of Florida currently charges students from Florida $5,700 a year and those from out of state an additional $22,236. At Florida State University out of state students pay $19,252 a year while Floridians pay $4,808.

While Barry University’s frozen rate may still seem expensive compared to its rivals it does point out that nearly 90% of its students receive financial assistance which significantly reduces the actual amount of tuition paid.