UC Launches Grant to Cover Tuition for Low-Income Students

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The University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine Building In Cincinnati, Ohio — Source: The Washington Post / Getty

The University of Cincinnati is rolling out a new financial aid program aimed at removing tuition costs for thousands of students across the region.

Announced Wednesday, the Bearcat Affordability Grant will allow qualifying Ohio residents from low-income households to attend UC tuition-free beginning in the fall of 2026. According to the university, the grant is designed for students from families earning less than $75,000 annually who are also Pell Grant eligible. It will cover any remaining tuition costs after other aid is applied.

UC leaders say the program is meant to address a long-standing gap between college aspirations and financial reality for many families.

“This grant program will be transformational for students, families and for this region,” said Jack Miner, UC’s vice provost for enrollment management. “Despite their dreams and years of hard work, college is just out of reach for so many students and families. This grant will make dreams a reality for literally thousands of students.”

The grant will be available to incoming freshmen starting in fall 2026 and applies not only to UC’s main campus, but also to all three regional campuses.

Miner added that the new grant will work in tandem with existing UC initiatives, including CPS Strong, which focuses on college readiness, access and student success for graduates of Cincinnati Public Schools. UC also offers the Marian Spencer Scholarship, which can cover tuition, books, housing, meals and even a study abroad service trip for eligible CPS students.

For more information on the new grant, visit UC’s Bearcat Affordability Grant site.