Students across the California State University system including San José State are continuing to absorb the rising costs of tuition as the approved plan enters its second year.
The California State University Board of Trustees voted in 2023 to raise the costs of tuition by 6.9% each year starting from the 2024-25 academic year until the 2028-29 year, according to a CSU Committee of Finance letter approving the plan written Sept., 2023.
Associated Students at San José State wrote and sent a letter opposing the increase in tuition to the CSU system during the fall of 2023, according to an Aug. 24, 2023 article published by the Spartan Daily.
Estevan Guzman, an SJSU fourth-year political science student and former director of legislative affairs for A.S., authored the letter to the CSU system.
“Theres a lot of federal cuts through Pell grants as well,” Guzman said. “This increase is only going to make it even more unaffordable for students – while we are technically one of the most affordable universities – it’s still incredibly unaffordable for the area here.”
He said that any gains from the tuition increase are going to be obliterated because of state budget cuts.
The Silicon Valley Pain Index, is a report made by the SJSU Human Rights Institute that highlights inequalities in Silicon Valley according to its webpage. The webpage states there is an 81% higher cost of living in San José compared to the national average.
The webpage also mentions that the average renter in San José needs to make $136,532 to keep apartment rents at 30% of the median income.
Charlotte Hall, a first-year data science student, received financial aid but still finds it difficult to meet the rising costs of tuition.
“I’ve had to work since I was 12 just to save up enough,” Hall said. “Just kind of struggling to make ends meet.”
President Donald J. Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4 made modifications to students’ eligibility to the Pell Grant program, which helps more than seven-million low and moderate income students each year, according to a July 24 article published by The Institute for College Access and Success.
In May, Governor Gavin Newsom released a revised state budget that lowered funding for University of California and CSU schools, according to the California State Budget summary for 2025-26.
CSU’s multi-year tuition proposal will increase tuition from previously $5,742 during the 2023-24 academic year to $7,682 by the 2028-29 year, according to a CSU webpage.
William Gonzales, an SJSU first-year kinesiology credential program student, is also a student who receives financial aid. He said many students have to go looking for scholarships because there are a lot out there that people don’t know about.
“There’s people that have multiple jobs and they’re trying to balance this life in general,” Gonzales said. “All of that makes everything really stressful.”
The university offers thousands of scholarships from a list of various scholarship resources, according to a university webpage.
Public Affairs for California State Universities wrote in an email to the Spartan Daily that all students can have a significant portion of their tuition paid depending on their financial needs by filling out FAFSA forms to determine aid eligibility on both the federal and state level.
It also said over 60% of CSU’s undergraduates have their full tuition covered by grants and non-loan aid.
“The CSU’s ability to provide students with more academic opportunities and critical support is dependent on the funding it receives from the state of California and from tuition,” CSU Public Relations wrote.
State University Grants are awards based on a student’s specific needs, according to a CSU webpage. Students who fill out FAFSA or Dream Act applications at CSU’s are considered for these grants by the CSU campus the student is attending.
“Collectively these two primary funding sources for the CSU operate our universities, providing everything from faculty hiring to access to technological resources, advising and tutoring to student services like basic needs and mental health, to maintaining the physical campus,” CSU Public relations wrote.
He said getting involved with the SJSU Office of the President and Community and Government Relations team at SJSU, where he works as a student assistant, as well as checking in with the Lobby Corps of A.S. and the director of legislative affairs is a way for students to advocate against state budget cuts.
“Any way we can get students to go out and then contact their local assemblymembers, state senators, even Congress members,” Guzman said. “That’d be a great way for students to also get active and try and showcase how dire the financial situation can be.”
