IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of students at Iowa’s three public universities could graduate without seeing their tuition increase once. The Iowa Board of Regents voted Wednesday to freeze tuition for resident undergraduate students for the third straight year, provided that lawmakers approve a funding increase for the universities next spring. Governor Terry Branstad says that would be a “historic” achievement.

Regent Larry McKibben said a third straight freeze will help families who are struggling to afford higher education. If the freeze sticks, in-state students who graduate in May 2016 will have paid the same base tuition all four years: $6,678 at University of Iowa and $6,648 at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

The board raised tuition by 1.75 percent for nonresidents and students in graduate and professional programs.