Resources on the Incentive-Based Budget Model for Professional Tuition

Tuition paid by students in state-supported graduate professional programs is allocated on an incremental basis each year based on a program’s changes in enrollment and in the tuition rate.  It is important to note that this is different from Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition, an additional charge paid by students in professional programs, and specific to graduate professional programs which receive state funding as opposed to self-supporting graduate programs.  Professional programs are listed at https://financeandbusiness.ucdavis.edu/student-resources/tuition-fees/professional. 

Programs receive the increment (which may be an increase or decrease) in tuition, with the proportion needed for return to aid (between about 29% and 50%, depending on the program and as provided by the UC Office of the President) identified and directed to separate accounts.  Adjustments are also made for students who pay reduced tuition and fees, either through Cal Vet waivers or the Employee Tuition Offset.  Programs receive central funding to backfill any Cal Grant waivers, so as to not disincentivize enrolling these students, and to offset lost revenue from professional students eligible to pay reduced tuition as a benefit of career UC employment.  Finally, Tuition rate increases are reserved to fund fixed cost increases and provided as a separate central allocation.

Figure 1.  Graduate Professional Tuition Revenue Model

Allocations of the Professional Tuition Revenue Model are made as permanent base budget increments to bring units’ allocations in line with their prior year’s enrollment. For 2023-24, this pool was allocated as shown in Table 1 below:

Table 1.  2023-24 PRTR Allocations 

Note: totals may not tie due to rounding

For more information, contact the Budget Office.

Resources (PDFs):

• Professional Tuition Allocations - July 2024