The DU financial aid office  plans to increase tuition aid for the upcoming summer quarter to match the average aid given during the school year, which was approximately $24,182, according to Chris George, director of Financial Aid.

George said the process of awarding summer aid has changed  over the past three years. He said, as a result, it is difficult to meaningfully compare this year’s aid to recent years, but the department is focusing on summer financial aid more this year than before.

Last year, DU increased the amount of courses offered during the summer to help students who are hoping to graduate early or need study abroad flexibility. According to George, an increase in aid is necessary to keep up with the addition of new classes.

“We are experiencing increased enrollments for the summer, and as a result we will experience increased tuition revenue for summer courses,” said George. “In turn, increased tuition revenue funds the increase in financial aid.”

According to George, during the current 2011-2012 academic year the average full-time undergraduate need-based scholarship and grant award amount was $24,182. The average aid for this summer cannot be estimated, but the university has made a commitment to increase aid from last year.

“If the population of the summer students mirrored that of the traditional academic year, the average need-based summer grant could be estimated,” said George. “But since this is a new undertaking, we are not in a position to project that information.”

According to George, one of the biggest changes made to summer aid this year is the inclusion of merit-based aid. An e-mail was sent out to all students receiving any kind of financial aid in early April. The email estimated how much they would receive for summer courses. As long as students applied online for summer aid by the priority deadline, which was last Friday, their aid should mirror their school-year scholarship.

George said he hopes the increase in aid will motivate more students to enroll in summer classes.

“Over 80 percent of our undergraduate students receive merit- or need-based aid at DU,” he said.

George said 463 undergraduates registered for summer classes last year. This year, 587 undergraduates have registered, and registration for summer classes continues up through the first day of class. Summer classes begin June 18.