Why Tom Cruise Is Covering Estranged Daughter Suri's $65K College Tuition Even After She Ditched His Last Name

Tom Cruise has been estranged from his daughter, Suri Cruise, for over a decade, yet he is reportedly still responsible for covering her college tuition.

The 18-year-old is currently a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University, paying around $65,000 annually in tuition.

Despite their strained relationship, Tom Cruise is said to be paying the fees as part of an agreement reached following his 2012 divorce from Suri's mother, Katie Holmes.

On Sunday, Suri officially began her journey as a student at Carnegie Mellon University, a prestigious private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Such an institution is known for its higher tuition fees than public universities, and according to reports, Suri is paying a substantial $65,000 per year for her course. It's unclear whether this amount includes her boarding fees since she currently resides in a dormitory.

Interestingly, her father, Tom Cruise, is reportedly responsible for covering these hefty fees despite their estrangement following his divorce from her mother, Katie Holmes.

"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," a close source to the "Mission Impossible" star confirmed, per the Daily Mail.

They continued, "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."

Cruise's decision to bear the burden of Suri's fees and other expenses dates back to an agreement he made with Katie Holmes during their 2012 split, per People Magazine

At the time, their representatives issued a statement emphasizing that despite their separation, both were "committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri's best interests."

The statement also mentioned that the former couple were keen on supporting "each other's roles as parents."

As part of this agreement, Cruise was not only required to pay approximately $38,000 annually in child support to Holmes, but he was also expected to cover all expenses directly related to Suri, including "medical, dental, insurance, education, college, and other extracurricular costs."

While Cruise is expected to continue covering expenses related to Suri in the foreseeable future, his child support payments to Holmes likely ended when Suri turned 18.

At the time of Cruise and Holmes' divorce, it's likely that they agreed on visitation rights that would allow the "Mission Impossible" star to spend time with Suri while she lived with Holmes.

However, Cruise seemingly did not exercise this right, as recent reports have revealed that he has been estranged from his daughter for the past 11 years. Their last public appearance together was in April 2013, and according to a close source who spoke to In Touch, it was Cruise who had chosen not to see Suri during this time.

Suri has responded to this distance by dropping her father's last name and adopting her mother's middle name, Noelle.

Earlier this year, her new name appeared on the casting sheet of her high school play, "The Addams Family: A New Musical," where she portrayed Morticia Addams.

The name change was also reflected in the ceremony pamphlet at her graduation from LaGuardia High School, an event Cruise did not attend.

According to reports, Holmes wanted to protect her daughter from Cruise's Scientology religion as she believed it could negatively impact Suri.

With the marriage over and Cruise no longer being able to make decisions about Suri's religion, it is believed that Cruise decided to cut off his daughter, as his religion reportedly mandates not being in contact with loved ones who do not share in their beliefs.

An expert on Scientology said about the situation, "Tom has proven over and over again that his No. 1 loyalty is to [his religion] and David Miscavige, [the Church of Scientology's second and current leader.]"

The expert also mentioned that years of the actor not reaching out to Suri made it "more and more obvious" that he had "cut" her off and that the 18-year-old "may be better off for it."

According to sources who previously spoke to the Daily Mail, financial incentives won't sway Suri to reconnect with her father.

A source noted, "Suri will not have any contact with her father, despite being 18, and even if he called, she would not answer. He does not exist to Katie or Suri, and his daughter does not want to rely on him for anything."

"She feels that she has one parent, and that is her mother," they added.