Geneva College to waive tuition for students from families earning under $70K

Geneva College says it will waive undergraduate tuition starting next fall for students from households making less than $70,000 — the latest move by a small private campus in a tough higher education market to give price breaks based on family income.

The private Christian college in Beaver Falls said “The Geneva Promise” will charge no tuition for students from eligible families “starting with the incoming class in the fall of 2024.”

To be eligible, students must have completed an application for admission by March 1, 2024, have official residency in Pennsylvania and be eligible to receive any amount of Pell Grant, according to Geneva’s website.

“We know that college affordability is a primary concern for families today,” said Willem de Ruijter, vice president of enrollment and marketing at Geneva. “We also know that Geneva has long been one of the most affordable options for Christian higher education.

“By launching the Geneva Tuition Promise, we are doubling down on that legacy and are continuing to work toward making a rigorous Christian education accessible for all,” he added.

Ruijter said tuition costs “are an ever-increasing barrier to many students accessing the type of Christian education that Geneva offers.”

In addition to the tuition breaks based on family income, Geneva said that beginning in the fall of 2024, the highest achieving students academically will be able to receive aid of up to $20,000 annually, or $80,000 over four years, an aid increase of over 14% toward the completion of their Geneva degree.

Tuition and fees at Geneva this academic year total $31,090, with a campus service fee of $1,260 and room and board (based on 21-meal plan) amounting to $10,980, according to its website.

After federal, state and institution aid, Geneva students on average paid a net price of $20,999, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education in 2021-22, the latest data available.

In recent years, colleges have turned to income-based incentives to woo students with enrollment down nationally and students and families increasingly expressing concerns about costs and debt.

In 2022, Allegheny College announced an initiative to cover full tuition for up to four years for in-state students from households making $50,000 or less.

Geneva College has about 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students, according to its website.