Gov. Braun to Hoosier Grads: "Stay and Save"

The governor says Indiana's public colleges are more affordable than ever.

Shutterstock photo.

INDIANAPOLIS - As Hoosier high school seniors walk across the graduation stage this month, Governor Mike Braun is encouraging graduates in the Class of 2026 bound for college to consider staying in Indiana.  

At Governor Braun’s request, all 15 of Indiana’s public colleges and universities, including both main and regional campuses, have frozen in-state tuition and mandatory fees, making this the most affordable time in more than a decade for Hoosier students to pursue a degree at home. 

“Congratulations to every Hoosier student walking across the graduation stage this spring. Whether you’re heading to college, starting your career, or serving our nation in the military, we are proud of you. For Hoosiers headed to college, a four-year degree in Indiana is an incredible value: our public universities have now frozen tuition for a second year.” — Governor Mike Braun 

The Braun Tuition Freeze 

At Governor Braun’s request, all 15 of Indiana’s public colleges and universities, including both main and regional campuses, committed to a 0% increase in tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students for both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education unanimously endorsed the Governor’s recommendation. It is the first time in modern history that every public institution in the state has simultaneously held tuition flat for Hoosier students, saving Hoosier families hundreds – even thousands – of dollars and making an Indiana degree the most affordable it has been in years. 

A New Diploma Built Around Three Paths: Enrollment, Employment, or Enlistment 

This year’s graduates are also the first Hoosier students to benefit from Indiana’s first-of-its-kind new high school diploma system, which gives every student a clear pathway aligned to one of three outcomes after graduation: Enrollment in college, Employment in a career, or Enlistment in the military. Students earning the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal can be automatically accepted to all Indiana public universities. Students earning the Employment seals complete real-world, hands-on experience that gets them in the door with Indiana’s top employers the day they graduate. And students earning the Enlistment and Service seal are prepared to serve in the armed forces. 

Whichever path Hoosier graduates choose, the Governor’s message is the same: Indiana is the place to build a future. 

More Wins for Indiana Students and Families

The tuition freeze and new diploma system build on Governor Braun’s first-year record on education, which includes universal school choice for every Hoosier family regardless of income or ZIP code, a $5,000 increase in starting teacher salaries, an additional $640 million directed to K-12 classrooms, a new A-through-F school accountability system, and the establishment of Indiana’s Office of School Safety. Indiana’s fourth-grade literacy ranking is at an all-time high — 6th in the country — third-grade literacy scores jumped 5 percentage points last year, and Indiana’s high school graduation rate hit an all-time high of 92 percent.