This is a list thread where we can add existing + new schools that offer tuition-free options for low-income students.
Brandeis
Source: The Brandeis Commitment | Office of Student Financial Services | Brandeis University
- grants & scholarship to cover full tuition for students from families earning <$75k
- grants & scholarship to cover half tuition for students from families earning >$75k and <$200k
- financial aid package that meets 100% of a domestic student’s demonstrated financial need in the first year with a combination of grants, scholarships, loans and work, regardless of family income
- four-year guarantee that students will receive the same level of total grants and scholarships each year
Caltech
Source: https://www.finaid.caltech.edu/
- no-loan financial aid package that covers tuition, fees, housing, and food for most students from families earning <$100k (with (typical assets)
- aid package that covers the tuition for most students from families earning <$200k (with (typical assets)
University of Chicago
Source: Undergraduate Aid
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$125k (with (typical assets)
- tuition-free for first-gen students
- financial aid to cover tuition, fees, and standard room and meals for students from families earning <$60k (with (typical assets)
Colby
Source: https://afa.colby.edu/cost-and-aid/colby-commitment/
- If your family has a total income of $75,000 or less and typical assets, we’ve ensured they will have a parent or guardian contribution of $0.
- For families with a total income of $75,001 to $100,000 and typical assets, your parent or guardian contribution will be no more than $10,000.
- For families with a total income of $100,001 to $150,000 and typical assets, your parent or guardian contribution will be no more than $15,000.
- For families with a total income of $150,001 to $200,000 and typical assets, your parent or guardian contribution will be no more than $20,000 — which may make Colby cost less for you than any other four-year college or university.
Colgate
Source: Colgate to Be Tuition-Free for Families Earning Less Than $175k
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$175k
- demonstrated aid need met without loans for students from families earning <$200k
Columbia
Source: Cost & Aid | Columbia Undergraduate Admissions
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$150k (and typical assets)
Emory
Source: Emory to Become Tuition-Free for Families Earning Less Than $200k Annually
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$200k
Franklin & Marshall
Source: Franklin & Marshall College to Go Tuition Free for PA Students from Families Making Less Than $75k
- Tuition-free for PA households earning $75,000 or less .
- Capped costs —no higher than Penn State’s in-state tuition—for PA families earning >$75,000–$150,000 .
- Financial aid package that meets household’s determined need for PA families earning above $150,000
Harvard
Source: Harvard Expands Financial Aid for Low-Income Students for 2025-26 Academic Year
- free college (includes all billed expenses including tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs) + $2,000 start-up grant in their first year and a $2,000 launch grant during their junior year to help support the transition beyond Harvard for students from families earning <$100k
- tuition-free + additional financial aid to cover billed expenses, depending on their financial circumstances for students from families earning <$200k
Johns Hopkins
Source: Johns Hopkins to be Tuition-Free for Students from Families Earning Less Than $200,000
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$200k
- extra financial aid to cover living expenses and other fees, attending Hopkins free of any University-based cost for students from families earning <$100k
Lehigh
Source: The Lehigh Commitment | Lehigh University
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$75k (with typical assets)
University of Michigan
Source: https://goblueguarantee.umich.edu/
- tuition-free for students from families w/ annual incomes <$125k & assets <$125k
MIT
- free college (tuition as well as housing, dining, fees, and an allowance for books and personal expenses) for students from families earning <$100k
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$200k
Mount Holyoke
Source: The Mount Holyoke Commitment | Mount Holyoke College
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$150k
- additional aid available for housing, food and fees based on demonstrated need
Princeton
Source: Princeton Enhances Its Groundbreaking Financial Aid Program
- aid to cover the total cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, books and personal expenses for students from families earning <$150k
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$250k
Reed College
- tuition-free for all OR, WA, and transfer students from families earning <$100k
- commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all students for all four years
Rice
- full coverage for tuition, fees, and living expenses for students from families earning <$75k
- tuition-free scholarships to students from families earning <$140k
- half-tuition scholarships to students from families earning >$140k and <$200k
Rutgers
Source: Rutgers Tuition-Free for More In-State Students | Rutgers University
- Students from families with adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less receive scholarship funds to cover full annual tuition and mandatory fees
- Students from families with adjusted gross income of $65,001 to $80,000 will pay no more than $3,000 per year toward tuition and mandatory fees
- Students from families with adjusted gross income of $80,001 to $100,000 will pay no more than $5,000 per year toward tuition and mandatory fees
Smith
Source: Smith Will Be Tuition-Free for Students from Households Earnings up to $150,000
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$150k
Soka University
Source: Financial Aid | Soka University of America
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$90k
- minimum half tuition for students from families earning <$250k with potential for more aid based on need
- one-quarter of tuition free for students from families earning >$250k and <$300k
Tufts
Source: Tufts Goes Tuition Free for Families Earning up to $150,000 Annually
- financial aid with no loans for students from families earning <$60k
- tuition-free for students from families earning <$150k
- scholarships and grants that cover the cost of tuition for students from families earning <$200k
Vanderbilt
Source: Financial Aid | Vanderbilt University
- full tuition scholarship for students from families earning <$150k
Wake Forest
Source: Wake Forest Will Be Tuition-Free for Students from NC Families Earning Below $200,000 Annually
- free tuition for NC students from families earning <$200k
- financial aid to cover the cost of standard living expenses in addition to the full cost of tuition for NC students from families earning <$100k
- NC students from families earning <$300k - eligible for financial aid covering 50% of tuition
Washington & Lee
Source: The W&L Promise: Tuition-Free Education for Families Under $150K
- free tuition without loans for students from families earning <$150k
- students from families earning <$75k receive additional support covering room and board
Washington University in St. Louis
Source: https://financialaid.washu.edu/
- WashU Pledge to cover tuition, fees, housing, and food for Missouri and Illinois students from families earning <$75k
Yale
Source: Making Yale Affordable. For Everyone. | Undergraduate Financial Aid
- Families with annual incomes > $75k (and typical assets) often qualify for a “zero parent share” that covers the full cost of tuition and fees, housing, food, and travel with a Yale Scholarship; qualifying students also receive hospitalization insurance coverage and $2,000 start-up grant in their first year
