The University of Notre Dame says families with incomes under $150,000 will pay zero tuition, starting next school year.
Notre Dame already removed loans from financial aid offers and doesn't consider financial need when deciding whether to admit students. Now, the university has added scholarship guarantees for specific income levels.
"It ensures a greater level of clarity for these families," explained Micki Kidder, the university's vice president for undergraduate enrollment. "It adds transparency, and it gives a higher level of confidence for families to know that they can afford a Notre Dame education and that it's accessible."
Families with incomes below $200,000 will receive aid that covers half the cost of tuition. Those earning less than $60,000 will not only have the cost of tuition covered but also fees, housing and food.
Kidder said the guarantees apply to new and returning undergraduate students – including international students – and apply for all four years. "We want to make sure that we're caring for our community in a really loving, respectful and comprehensive way, and so, any student admitted to Notre Dame, we are going to make sure that they can afford it," Kidder added.
However, Kidder said the scholarship guarantees may not apply if a family has more total assets than typical. "But even in that case, we are still committed to meeting 100-percent of the demonstrated financial need for those students," Kidder said.
Since the "Pathways to Notre Dame" initiative was introduced in September of 2024, the university has committed over $40 million in additional annual recurring funds, and it will invest over $1 billion in financial aid over the next four years.
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