What’s happening: Michigan students with family incomes of $70,000 or less are now eligible to receive free tuition at Wayne State University, this thanks to the launch of the Wayne State Guarantee first announced on Monday, March 13 – and on the holiday known as 313 Day, no less.
What it is: The Wayne State Guarantee promises to cover the full cost of tuition and standard fees for students with family incomes of $70,000 or less and assets of $50,000 or less. The award is renewable for up to four years for full-time students, and a fifth year if the student is set to graduate at the end of that year.
How to apply: The award will be available to incoming first-year undergraduates beginning in the fall semester of 2023.
Visit Wayne State University online to learn more about the Wayne State Guarantee and the application process.
Why it’s important: “Too many students and their families do not think that college is an option because it’s too expensive,” said Wayne State Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Kornbluh. “However, I think they would be surprised. At Wayne State, we have robust financial aid programs and we work very hard to make attending one of the top research universities in the country affordable for each and every student.”
By the numbers: According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Michigan from 2017 to 2021 was $63,202, falling well below the $70,000 cap set by the Wayne State Guarantee. Those numbers are even more stark in the city of Detroit, where the median household income over that same period was $34,762. The Detroit-based university is using a combination of federal, state, and in-house scholarships and grants to fund the Wayne State Guarantee.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.