Redeemer is committing to affordable Christian university tuition for the long term.
After a 42 per cent tuition reduction in 2019, followed by a four-year freeze, Redeemer is signalling its commitment to affordability with an increase of just 1.9 per cent. Canadian undergraduate tuition will be $9,987 for the 2023-2024 academic year, which is remarkable for the Christian education context in North America.
“We are focused on ensuring that students have access to relevant programs that address the challenges of today and tomorrow from an integrated Christian perspective.”
The pathway to long-term affordable Christian university education in Ontario is continued innovation. “As Redeemer navigates pressures associated with increased costs and inflation, there is a firm belief that tuition must remain affordable for families who desire Christian university education,” said president Dr. David Zietsma. “We are focused on ensuring that students have access to relevant programs that address the challenges of today and tomorrow from an integrated Christian perspective. This includes continuing to advance Redeemer’s academic programs and investing in a vibrant spiritual experience where students grow deeper in their faith through their learning and campus experience.”
Over the past two years, Redeemer has added several relevant and recognizable options for today’s marketplace. In 2021, the university began offering a bachelor of business administration (BBA) degree and in 2022 it launched the bachelor of kinesiology (B.Kin.) degree. Redeemer has also launched a new Innovation Centre to support design thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship and experiential learning opportunities across all of its programs. In addition, two new music programs, a music in worship and church music ministry honours program, as well as a new law and public policy minor were added in 2022. Further new degree offerings, such as a bachelor of communication and media studies (B.Co.M.S.) with a film and media production stream and potential for digital communications and other streams in the near future, are in development. Redeemer is also considering further program innovations, such as microcredential programs and dual-credit (high-school/university) course offerings.
In 2019, generous donor support enabled a tuition and fee restructuring initiative with a four-year tuition freeze. Redeemer dropped tuition 42 per cent for Canadian undergraduate students contributing to significant enrolment growth since. Enrolment in fall 2018 was 689; in fall 2022 it was 1,089. Many welcomed the reduction with excitement as it made tuition competitive with most publicly funded universities in Ontario, putting Christian university education within reach for many more students.
“Affordable tuition is here to stay. We are grateful to our generous support community for making this possible,” said Zietsma. “It is critical that Christian youth in high school understand there is an affordable and relevant Christian option as they consider their post secondary pathways.”
A successful charter change in 2020 gave Redeemer the authority to grant up to 20 new degrees, including nine masters degrees, and opened the doors to innovation and an exciting future.