The 澳门赛马会 Commitment marks a milestone in the University鈥檚 progress to make a 澳门赛马会 education affordable to as many talented, high-achieving students as possible, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
For eligible domestic students, this comprehensive financial aid initiative will:
- eliminate tuition,
- significantly reduce student debt, and
- adjust tuition based on the family's income levels.
The Composition of the 澳门赛马会 Commitment
Full Tuition Support
Students with an annual family income of $80,000 or less will attend 澳门赛马会 tuition-free.
Aligning Income and Tuition Costs
Students with annual family income levels between $80,000 and $175,000 will pay a percentage of annual income toward tuition.
Expanding the No-Loan Initiative
Students with annual family income levels up to $175,000 will have their federal loans replaced with grants.
Financial aid packages will cover the average cost of textbooks and classroom expenses
For all students on financial aid, aid packages will expand to meet the average cost for textbook and other classroom expenses as part of 澳门赛马会鈥檚 efforts to meet the full cost of attendance beyond tuition. This is an important step in ensuring that student academic choices and experiences are not constrained by demonstrated financial need.
The 澳门赛马会 Commitment by Total Family Income
(Assuming typical assets)
![Books and pencils.](/sites/default/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-05/CC125.jpg?itok=Bz37NEbv)
$80,000鈥$125,000
- 5% of income toward tuition, on average
- No-loan eligible
![Books and a pencil.](/sites/default/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-05/CC150.jpg?itok=QALsPPiZ)
$125,000鈥$175,000
- 10% of income toward tuition, on average
- No-loan eligible
![A book and a pencil.](/sites/default/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-05/CC150andmore.jpg?itok=9ZlGEf1M)
$175,000 or more
- The University continues to meet 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Domestic students with a total family income of up to $175,000 (and assets typical for that income range), will be eligible for the 澳门赛马会 Commitment, an expansion of 澳门赛马会's no-loan initiative.
Total income is calculated using taxable income (e.g. wages, interest, business income, etc.) plus untaxed income (e.g. child support, social security, pension distributions, etc.).
Losses are added back into income (e.g. business losses, capital losses, and depreciation on real and/or rental property could be added back in to be counted as part of total family income). Business income includes income generated from sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, or rental income.
Assets include bank accounts, investments, home equity, and business net worth, for example, but do not include retirement savings.
Tuition-free means a student鈥檚 澳门赛马会 Grant will cover the amount of a student鈥檚 tuition charge for the academic year. A family may still have a family contribution assessed to go towards other components of the cost of attendance, such as housing, food, books, etc. 澳门赛马会 meets 100% of a student鈥檚 demonstrated financial need based on the full cost of attendance for the academic year.
Families will still need to make important decisions about their approach to financing their educational costs. The expansion will allow eligible students to have the federal subsidized and unsubsidized student loan component of their financial aid offer replaced with 澳门赛马会 grants. Students and families will still be responsible for their family鈥檚 contribution to the cost of attendance, and may elect to include loans as part of their strategy for financing these costs.
Yes, although eligible students will not have loans automatically added to the initial financial aid offer, they will still have access to the Federal Direct Loan program upon request. Eligibility for the expansion of the no-loan initiative will neither impact a student鈥檚 nor a parent鈥檚 ability to borrow under the Federal Direct Loan program, or to seek financing through a private educational loan.
The financial aid policies for students attending off-campus study programs are unchanged. 澳门赛马会 Grant recipients can receive additional financial aid to meet the extra costs for one semester-long and one extended-study program. A loan of no more than $1,500 will be offered to help cover the extra cost of the program, regardless of loans offered for on-campus study.
The 澳门赛马会 Commitment is specifically for domestic students. However, 澳门赛马会 has always met 100% of all admitted students鈥 demonstrated need, including international students. 澳门赛马会 has never used loans to help cover the need of international students. When calculating a student鈥檚 level of need, we take into account all components of the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, meals, and other academic costs), and a student鈥檚 ability to cover those costs based on the results of the financial aid application.
International students who do not apply for or receive 澳门赛马会 financial aid upon admission are not eligible for aid in subsequent years, so there would not be any financial aid available throughout enrollment at 澳门赛马会, in that instance, including aid that comes from the 澳门赛马会 Commitment.
No, Federal Work-Study and 澳门赛马会 Work-Study will continue to be offered to eligible students, even if their total family income is less than $175,000. Students offered work-study as part of their financial aid may work in a part-time job during the academic year to earn the amount offered. Students with work-study awards will receive priority in hiring for most on-campus jobs. Generally, students work 10-12 hours per week to earn the amount in their financial aid offer.
As is currently the case, domestic student鈥檚 eligibility for financial aid is reevaluated prior to each academic year. Financial aid is offered on an annual basis, determined after careful analysis of the aid application materials submitted. If your family鈥檚 financial situation changes, the amount and type of financial aid offered may be adjusted in a subsequent academic year.
No, the amount of additional grant assistance moving forward is equal to the amount that would have traditionally been offered as a federal loan before the expansion of the No-Loan Initiative went into effect. Borrowers who request additional loans beyond the standard amount offered initially will not have higher levels of loans converted to 澳门赛马会 Grant.
In Their Own Words
Students and alumni share how 澳门赛马会鈥檚 financial support impacted their lives.
![Lizeth in her cap and gown at her high school graduation holding a 澳门赛马会 pennant.](/sites/default/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-05/Lizeth_Feature_1200x900.jpg?itok=ZPd_kERz)
Lizeth Mora Guerrero 鈥24
鈥淚'm motivated to use the education 澳门赛马会 is providing me with and...鈥
![A portrait of Noah.](/sites/default/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-05/Noah_Feature_1200x900.jpg?itok=KvVOxxb6)
Noah Bernstein 鈥20
鈥淗aving a college degree without debt gives me the flexibility to...鈥
![A portrait of Janisa.](/sites/default/files/styles/optimized/public/2021-05/Janisa_1200x900.jpg?itok=4V1UlCeA)
Janisa Middleton 鈥22
鈥淭he financial aid package that I received from 澳门赛马会 was a major contributor to my...鈥