New two-year funding agreements with Nova Scotia’s universities will freeze undergraduate tuition and increase operating grants for schools.
The agreements provide universities with a two per cent increase in their operating grants in each of the next two years, although a portion will be held back until universities hit specific targets.
The Department of Advanced Education says the total operational funding increase to the 10 universities is $7.7 million for 2025-26 and $7.8 million for 2025-27.
Under the agreements, schools with health-related programs will have to hit an average enrolment rate in those programs of at least 97 per cent to get their full funding allotments.
There is also a requirement to work toward ensuring student housing is available for at least 15 per cent of a school’s student population and that the vacancy rate in on-campus housing is no higher than five per cent.
The funding agreements replace one-year agreements with universities that expired on March 31.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.