Alcorn State University is seeking more students from outside Mississippi by eliminating out-of-state tuition and raising its across-the-board rate by 3 percent. 

ASU, which is headquartered in Lorman but has a campus in Vicksburg, will offer a single flat tuition rate for Mississippi residents and non-resident students. The board of trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning approved Alcorn’s proposal last week.

Alcorn’s current full-time in-state tuition ranges starts at $6,656. In 2015, the base tuition will rise to $6,703.

“This is one key component of Alcorn’s comprehensive enrollment management plan, which is centered around affordability and retention,” said Alfred Rankins Jr., president of the university.

The flat-rate tuition will become effective in the fall 2015 semester.

Non-resident students have historically represented fewer than 15 percent of the student population of the historically black college, university officials said. The flat rate is expected to assist the university’s recruiting strategies, said Emanuel Barnes, vice president for student affairs.

“Our recruiters are eagerly working with alumni chapters across the nation to attract area students who could not afford the out-of-state tuition rate,” Barnes said. “With this new tuition rate for non-resident students, Alcorn is now a more competitive option.”

The new rate will broaden the university’s reach to parents and students who are seeking quality higher education experiences at affordable prices, said Carolyn Dupre, vice president for finance and administration. “For those students looking for a rigorous, affordable post secondary education away from home while feeling at home then Alcorn is a great choice.”