Students may have to reach a little deeper into their pockets to cover their education costs next fall.

The Iowa Board of Regents is scheduled to vote on a 4 percent undergraduate and graduate tuition increase for the 2006-07 school year during its meeting in Cedar Falls on Tuesday.

According to the Regents’ December meeting docket, Iowa State’s proposed base rates would increase resident undergraduate tuition to nearly $6,000, an approximately $200 increase, and nonresident tuition to $16,350, a $600 increase.

Government of the Student Body President Angela Groh said she believes it is “very likely” the tuition increases will be passed by the Board.

“Tuition increases are never a good thing; I would prefer that tuition would remain low and affordable for all students,” she said.

“I do appreciate that the Regents and administrators from Iowa State, Iowa and UNI have listened to our concerns about the tuition increases that may be passed tomorrow.”

In addition to the tuition rate increases, an unprecedented $500 tuition surcharge would be applied to junior- and senior-level engineering students – creating a total increase of more than 14 percent for residents and more than 7 percent for nonresidents.

Groh said the added cost of educating engineering undergraduate students justifies the surcharge.

“If it costs more to educate a College of Engineering student than a political science student . it makes more sense to charge them more,” she said.

Graduate students could experience a similar 4 percent tuition increase – approximately $230 for residents and $630 for nonresidents.

Separate from other graduate students’ tuition increases, veterinary medicine students would see their annual tuition spike 16 percent, or approximately $1,900, for residents and 12 percent, or approximately $3,700, for nonresidents.

Mandatory student fees would also increase, should the board approve the proposal.

Student services fees would increase by $13 per student to provide $637,000 to CyRide and on-campus recreation services. Computer science students would see fees increase by $54 to provide additional technology upgrades.

The Regents estimate the total cost to attend Iowa State for the 2006-07 school year, which includes tuition, housing, food and personal expenses at approximately $16,500, an increase of approximately $650.

The University of Iowa requested a 4.5 percent tuition increase for resident undergraduates and graduates and a 6.5 percent increase for nonresident undergraduates.

The University of Northern Iowa requested a 4 percent tuition increase for undergraduates and graduates.