Tom Cruise Will Pay Daughter Suri's $65K College Tuition: Here's Why

Sources say Cruise is 'fulfilling his obligation' and he 'has always paid for her schooling.'

By Ashley Turner

As Suri Cruise embarks on her academic career at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, an intriguing financial arrangement has come to light. Despite their estrangement, Tom Cruise is footing the bill for his daughter's higher education, a sum totaling approximately $65,000 annually.

Suri, accompanied by her mother, Katie Holmes, moved into her college dormitory on Aug. 20, marking the beginning of her freshman year. The 18-year-old is set to begin her studies on Aug. 26.

The financial responsibility for Suri's education falls squarely on Tom Cruise's shoulders, a stipulation rooted in the divorce settlement reached between Cruise and Holmes in 2012. According to the agreement, Cruise is obligated to cover all of Suri's "medical, dental, insurance, education, college, and other extracurricular costs," reports Daily Mail. This arrangement ensures that Suri can pursue her academic aspirations without financial constraints.

A source close to Cruise affirmed his commitment to this obligation, stating to the outlet, "Tom is indeed paying for Suri's tuition, he has always paid for her schooling and would never stop as he is a stand-up guy. He has never hesitated paying his daughter's child support and expenses. He does not go back on his word. He is fulfilling his obligation."

However, the financial support is offset by a relationship of estrangement. Cruise and Suri have not been publicly photographed together since April 2013, indicating a significant rift in their relationship.

Suri's recent decision to adopt her mother's middle name, Noelle, instead of Cruise suggests a desire to distance herself from her father's famous surname. While Cruise continues to meet his financial responsibilities, it's worth noting that the $38,000 annual child support payments he previously made are likely to have ceased now that Suri has become a legal adult.

Suri's college experience at Carnegie Mellon promises to be markedly different from her upbringing in New York City. She will be sharing a dorm room in an all-female hall and embracing the collegiate lifestyle. An insider revealed to Daily Mail, "Suri wants the full college experience so she is giving the dorm rooms a try and she will have a roommate. She is excited for a new chapter in her life."

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While specific details about Suri's chosen field of study remain private, Katie Holmes has hinted at her daughter's interest in the performing arts. In an interview with Town & Country magazine, Holmes suggested that Suri might be considering a career in show business after college. The young Cruise has already dipped her toes into the entertainment world, contributing vocals to songs in two of her mother's films – Rare Objects (2023) and Alone Together (2022).

Holmes shared her pride in her daughter's accomplishments, telling the outlet, "I'm proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I'm really proud of her and I'm happy."

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