West Virginia University announced a last-dollar-in program in January to cover the cost of tuition and fees for students receiving scholarships and other forms of financial aid.
The effort is part of a trend among colleges statewide seeking to lower the cost of education and attract more students.
The program is meant for future and current resident undergraduate students on the Morgantown, Keyser and Beckley campuses, at the ƵU Institute of Technology, and at Potomac State College who qualify, Vice Provost Mark Gavin said.
The only requirements are that the student must have a family adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less, complete the FAFSA annually and remain in good academic standing. If a studentƵs familyƵs adjusted gross income rises above the $65,000 threshold after enrollment, the university will continue to honor the program.
ƵWe are always looking for ways as the stateƵs flagship land grant, R1 university, to expand access to higher education,Ƶ Gavin said, adding the university considered rolling out the program for some time.
ƵThere is always uncertainty as to how higher education is going to be funded for a particular student, we wanted to try to remove that uncertainty for a number of West Virginia students and families as they consider a path to higher education, and thatƵs what this program does through the last dollar.Ƶ
Gavin said the program would continue from the moment a student is considered for the program until the time they graduate and works by covering the final costs of tuition leftover after a student is given financial aid and scholarships. He said, if a student doesnƵt initially qualify upon enrollment but qualifies at a subsequent date, they could be reconsidered for the program.
ƵBy doing this, weƵre hoping to, one, increase access to higher education, which we know is a challenge in our state, and weƵre helping to address that,Ƶ Gavin said. ƵAnd number two, weƵre hoping to provide ƵU as a system, whether itƵs Morgantown, Beckley or Keyser, as an option in that higher education consideration.Ƶ
Concord University
Concord University started a last-dollar-in program similar to ƵUƵs in 2019 when it saw students were struggling to pay for tuition each year.
According to Chief Enrollment Management Officer Tammy Brown, staff saw many students in the financial aid office around that time who received assistance such as the Pell Grant, but couldnƵt afford the rest of tuition on their own.
ƵYou definitely werenƵt going to get them to live on campus, because we couldnƵt even just pay the base tuition,Ƶ Brown said. ƵWe figured if we could at least help them pay the base tuition, then at that point, maybe they could, if they wanted to live on campus, then they could find other funding for that, but we did want to at least make sure that the base tuition of those students were being covered.Ƶ
DzԳǰƵs applies to resident, full-time, Pell Grant-eligible students who complete their FAFSA and meet the minimum GPA requirements. The program renews for up to eight regular semesters.
So far, Brown said the program has been able to help 88 students Ƶ 37 of which have graduated, and 16 of which are still enrolled. Brown said of the students who werenƵt retained, many of them left during the COVID-19 pandemic or reported financial strain.
ƵIt just seems like itƵs one of those programs where itƵs helping some of the neediest students to get that final few dollars that they need to get their tuition paid,Ƶ Brown said. ƵI think statewide, a lot of schools are trying to find the best way that they can to help our students, because all over the state we have students that are struggling to pay tuition.Ƶ
West Virginia State University
In February, West Virginia State University announced its including a tuition freeze, the elimination of application fees and guaranteed admission for West Virginia high school graduates with a minimum grade point average of 2.5.
ƵWe know that higher education must change to meet the demands of todayƵs workforce and we are taking bold steps to address these demands head-on,Ƶ ƵSU President Ericke S. Cage said in a news release.
The pledge would go into effect in the fall 2025 semester, providing guaranteed admission to all incoming West Virginia freshmen with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, as well as students with at least 30 credit hours or those with an associateƵs degree from an in-state community or technical college.
Ƶ part of the pledge, in-state tuition for incoming students of ƵSU will be frozen for eight semesters, and room and board rates will be frozen next year for students living on campus.
The university is also attempting to expand access to the Regents Bachelor of Arts degree by allowing incoming, first-time students of the program to receive their first semester at no cost, including tuition and fees. The RBA degree is a non-traditional program for working West Virginia adults who are at least four years out of high school, according to the release.
Graduates having difficulty finding employment will also have the chance to take additional courses at the university at no additional cost for up to one year.
ƵWith The Yellow Jacket Pledge, West Virginia State University is setting the standard for access, affordability and career readiness for higher education in West Virginia,Ƶ Cage said in the release.
Fairmont State University
Fairmont State University also announced a scholarship in February that would provide education to eligible, full-time West Virginia students tuition-free beginning in the fall 2025 semester.
According to a release, Fairmont StateƵs is meant for eligible high school graduates, transfer students and former Fairmont State students returning to complete their degrees.
To qualify, students must be a West Virginia resident or graduate of a state high school; have a household income of $70,000 or less; submit the FAFSA by June 15, 2025; and enroll full time.
ƵFairmont StateƵs Access Scholarship is a transformative opportunity for West Virginia students, offering a tuition-free path to a top-tier education that fuels both personal growth and career success,Ƶ John Nisbet, interim vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer, said in the release.
This scholarship is one of many Fairmont State offers students, including in-state and out-of-state traditional scholarships and other financial aid, in addition to the university announcing in that in-state tuition for the 2025 academic year would be frozen, or not increased, and out-of-state rates would be consolidated.
ƵFairmont State has long been committed to making higher education more affordable and accessible,Ƶ President Mike Davis said in the release. ƵOur goal is to provide students with a high-quality education without the burden of overwhelming debt, opening doors to life-changing opportunities.Ƶ
Marshall University
Meanwhile, Marshall University is in its second academic year after kicking off the : Debt-Free program, which provides final tuition coverage for students in the program who also receive financial aid and meet requirements.
But in February, Marshall announced an expansion to the program, called ƵMarshall For All: Tuition-Free Ƶ,Ƶ allowing incoming West Virginia students with a family income of $65,000 or less to attend the university for free Ƶ no loans required.
Since the Marshall For All: Debt-Free program started in the fall 2023 semester, a random cohort of 100 in-state and metro-area students were chosen to have the rest of their tuition paid after applying for the FAFSA and scholarships. University President Brad D. Smith told the Board of Governors during a regular meeting in February he expects another 200 students to be accepted into the program for the fall 2025 semester.
This promise of a paid tuition was made to these students, given they earn a bachelorƵs degree within four years, complete an internship and financial literacy courses, and consult with their academic advisors and peer mentors.
Provost Avinandan ƵAviƵ Mukherjee said of the program in January, ƵWeƵll continue to grow that. There is more support from our community and donors and alumni for this program. So we are raising a lot of money to be able to support and grow the program, and the results are amazing.Ƶ
He said, so far, the university is seeing improved performance in Marshall For All: Debt-Free students within their first year at the university, including in their academics and retention, compared to students not in the program.
ƵParticularly students who are Pell Grant recipients covered under Marshall For All are doing a lot better than students who are not. So itƵs a great experiment,Ƶ he said.
Mukherjee said the university is still trying to learn what is working well with the program and is completing a study on the initial results. He said the goal is to eventually include all students in the program.
But with the Marshall For All: Tuition-Free Ƶ program, qualifying in-state students who complete the FAFSA will have 100% of their tuition covered under the program, including mandatory university fees.
Students will also be automatically considered for the program upon acceptance into the university.
ƵThis is a game-changer for students across West Virginia,Ƶ Jerry Ross, MarshallƵs chief enrollment officer, said in a news release announcing the program. ƵWe understand that affording college is a major concern for many families, and this program is another way weƵre working to make a Marshall education more accessible.Ƶ
