DETROIT – Wayne State University is now offering free tuition to Michigan students whose families earn $80,000 a year or less.
The university is raising the previous $70,000 income threshold for the Wayne State Guarantee tuition pledge, according to a release.
The pledge, which was initially announced in 2023, covers the full cost of tuition and standard fees with federal, state and other Wayne State University scholarships and grants, and is renewable for up to four years.
Families that make less than $80,000 a year and have $50,000 or less in assets now qualify for free tuition under this program.
Here is the full list of eligibility requirements to receive the pledge:
- Incoming first-year undergraduates who are Michigan residents admitted for fall 2025 as a first-time undergraduate in a degree-program.
- Household income of $80,000 or less and assets of $50,000 or less as confirmed on the 2025-26 FAFSA.
- Michigan residents eligible for the Pell grant in 2025-26 are also eligible.
- Must be enrolled full time (12 or more credit hours per semester) each semester. Funding is for fall and winter semesters.
- WSU must receive your 2025-26 FAFSA by April 1, 2025 and you must be eligible to receive federal student aid.
- Must apply for admission to WSU by April 1, 2025.
The new eligibility threshold takes effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year for incoming freshmen.
“Broadening the Wayne State Guarantee reflects our commitment to offering students throughout the state of Michigan the best chance possible to earn a college degree at a world-class university, recognized as one of top 100 public universities in the country and improve their lives,” said Charles Cotton III, vice provost for enrollment management at Wayne State University. “As the state’s top urban research institution, we realize that keeping college affordable is critical to our mission of producing the career-ready graduates who will make up Michigan’s workforce of the future. We are excited about the opportunities this increase will provide.”
As of the fall of 2024, 2,080 undergraduate students have benefitted from the Wayne State Guarantee Program, according to the university.
In addition, 60% of first-year undergraduate students attended the university tuition-free in the last two years.
The pledge program is just one of the ways Wayne State reduces the costs of tuition for students.
For more information about the Wayne State Guarantee, visit here.
