UVA Approves Higher Housing and Meal Plan Costs
The University of Virginia Board of Visitors raised average housing and dining costs for the 2027-28 academic year.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Financial Aid
Live Poll
Do you think rising campus housing and meal costs are putting public college out of reach?
The University of Virginia Board of Visitors unanimously approved an average double room rate increase of $441 per person per year, raising the average double room cost from $8,748 to $9,189 for 2027-28. Meal plans are also rising an average of $241, or 4.99 percent.
Why it matters
The Board said the rates are set to cover operating expenses and board-policy reserves rather than generate profit, but the AAUP-U.Va. condemned the increases and urged Virginia legislators to invest in public higher education. The university's endowment totaled $9.6 billion as of June.
The average double room rises by $441 per person per year, from $8,748 to $9,189, while meal plans increase an average of $241, or 4.99 percent. Purchasing a meal plan is mandatory for first-year undergraduate students, and the extraction does not indicate whether those students will receive any aid to offset the change.
The players
University of Virginia Board of Visitors
The governing body of the University of Virginia, responsible for approving university rates and policies.
AAUP-U.Va.
The University of Virginia chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a faculty advocacy organization.
UVIMCO
The University of Virginia Investment Management Company, which oversees the university's endowment.
The details
The Board of Visitors approved the housing cost increase by unanimous vote on Friday, and the rates are set to cover operating expenses and board-policy reserves. The increases follow an average tuition increase of 3.6 percent approved in April for the 2026-27 academic year.
Timeline
April: Board approved a 3.6 percent average tuition increase for 2026-27.
June: University endowment totaled $9.6 billion.
Friday: Board of Visitors unanimously approved the housing cost increase.
2027-28 academic year: Housing and meal plan increases take effect.
Historical Context
The University of California and City University of New York systems were free for in-state and in-city students in the 1960s, a contrast to the housing and dining increases approved at the University of Virginia for 2027-28. Massachusetts voters approved a 4 percent surtax on income over $1 million in a November 8, 2022 referendum, a funding model the AAUP-U.Va. implicitly points to in urging Virginia legislators to invest in public higher education.
Students living in University of Virginia housing will pay an average of $441 more per year for a double room starting in 2027-28. First-year undergraduates must buy a meal plan, which rises an average of $241 under the new schedule.
The takeaway
Students planning for the 2027-28 academic year should budget for higher housing and meal costs at the University of Virginia when estimating total expenses. Reviewing available financial aid options early can help offset the increases.
Further reading
For broader context on paying for school, explore the Financial Aid section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Crossword -- January 29 - The Cavalier Daily - University of Virginia's Student Newspaper.
Live Poll
Do you think rising campus housing and meal costs are putting public college out of reach?
