Statement from Governor Chafee Regarding In-State Tuition in Rhode Island

I am pleased that the Board of Governors for Higher Education is poised to approve a measure that would extend in-state tuition to undocumented Rhode Island students who are in all other ways eligible for enrollment at our state’s public colleges and universities.

This measure would make in-state tuition rates available only to those undocumented students who have attended a Rhode Island high school for at least three years and have graduated from that high school or received an equivalent diploma or certificate. The students also will be required to sign an affidavit expressing their commitment to seek legal status as soon as they are eligible to do so.

I have long been a supporter of efforts to encourage college attendance among students who, through no fault of their own, do not have full residency status. Most of these individuals were brought to the United States by their parents at a young age. They have demonstrated academic achievement and leadership ability on par with other successful college applicants. All that separates these young people from the thousands of other students who gain entry to Rhode Island’s public colleges and universities each year is the place where they were born – a factor none of us can control.

This measure will improve the intellectual and cultural life of our state while strengthening our workforce and helping our economy. Extending in-state tuition rates to undocumented students will allow more Rhode Islanders to go on to college.

These young people have studied at, excelled in, and graduated from Rhode Island high schools. They have demonstrated their desire to continue their education and enrich their futures and the future of their communities. I am proud that, for young people across our state, the Board of Governors will soon be removing a needless roadblock to a brighter future.