{"id":8892,"date":"2024-12-23T05:10:22","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T11:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/?p=8892"},"modified":"2024-12-23T05:10:22","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T11:10:22","slug":"illinois-universities-cover-tuition-for-low-income-households","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2024\/12\/23\/illinois-universities-cover-tuition-for-low-income-households\/","title":{"rendered":"Illinois universities cover tuition for low-income households"},"content":{"rendered":"

More Illinois universities are covering tuition for low-income households, but issues with cost remain<\/h1>\n

A free ride or not-so-free?<\/h2>\n

Like many students, financial aid was a deciding factor for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign psychology student Nora Harvey. Despite the fact that her dad, who died when she was 16, had gone to University of Wisconsin at Madison and raised her as a Badgers fan, she chose the option that wouldn\u2019t saddle her with debt. Harvey, who grew up in Beverly, said the decision would have been closer if she hadn\u2019t been looking at a $10,000 tuition bill every year at Wisconsin. At Illinois, her tuition, which ranges from $17,640 to $22,904 a year for in-state residents, is covered. Grants and scholarships pay for other costs, such as rent and books.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I got my financial aid [package] from Wisconsin, I knew I was going to U of I,\u201d said Harvey, 21. \u201cIf it weren\u2019t for this, I really would be having a different experience in college. … I feel a lot more freedom knowing I\u2019m not gonna have a crazy amount of loans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Illinois universities lead the way<\/h2>\n

University of Illinois started Illinois Commitment, its free tuition program for low-income households in 2019, and a growing number of private and public universities have followed suit. Roosevelt University announced it will start offering a similar program this month, the Roosevelt Pledge, and in September, University of Illinois Chicago announced its plans to launch its own version, UIC Aspire, next fall.<\/p>\n

The Roosevelt Pledge program, which starts in the spring 2025 semester, will cover tuition costs not covered by loans, grants or work-study programs for students whose family incomes are less than $50,000 per year.<\/p>\n

Other Illinois institutions follow suit<\/h2>\n

Sara Miller, executive director of Green Halo Scholars, a west suburban program that helps first-generation and low-income students navigate college, said schools are fond of programs like these because they\u2019re easy to advertise.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrograms like this help families understand from the get-go that the price on the website isn\u2019t what they\u2019re going to pay,\u201d Miller said. \u201cThe certainty of income-based programs is really great. It advertises it on the front end to encourage them to apply.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not-so-free ride<\/h2>\n

However, the fees not included in some of these programs, including Roosevelt\u2019s, can leave hefty bills for students. Minnesota\u2019s North Star Promise \u2014 which offers free tuition for students with family incomes of less than $80,000 a year \u2014 left many of the 17,000 students responsible for housing and food costs that often total more than $10,000 per year.<\/p>\n

Harvey said she would be paying $8,500 out of pocket if her scholarship didn\u2019t also cover costs beyond tuition \u2014 though she also said she\u2019d appreciate if the payments came before rent was due, since reimbursements are paid out a week before classes start as opposed to when students need them.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

While some Illinois universities are taking steps to make higher education more accessible to low-income households, the issue of cost remains a significant concern. As colleges and universities continue to hike tuition and fees, the need for more comprehensive financial aid packages is increasingly clear.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n