A top administrator says the University of Illinois may need to increase its spending on financial aid after watching growing numbers of students decide to go elsewhere because of rising costs.

According to university spokesman Tom Hardy, Vice President for Academic Affairs Christophe Pierre said during a board of trustees committee meeting Wednesday the money could come from increasing the enrollment in higher-tuition programs such as engineering or adding higher-paying international students at the Chicago campus.

Hardy says students who are accepted but decide not to enroll usually cite costs. They often get better aid packages from other public or private schools.

A year of tuition at the Urbana-Champaign campus costs $12,036. Four years of tuition, room and board tops $100,000.