Rice University will provide full-tuition grants to eligible undergraduate students from families earning up to $200,000 annually beginning with the fall 2027 entering class, the university announced Monday.
Under the expanded Rice Investment, students from families earning less than $100,000 will receive grants covering tuition, mandatory fees, room and board. Those from families earning between $100,000 and $200,000 will receive full tuition.
The income thresholds do not guarantee an award. Rice says families with assets significantly above what is typical for their income may not qualify. Rice says it will still meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted undergraduates without including student loans in aid packages.
How the expanded program works
The new thresholds apply to students entering Rice in fall 2027 or later, including eligible transfer students. They do not apply to current students or students entering in fall 2026, according to the university’s financial aid FAQ.
Prospective international students and graduate students are not eligible for the Rice Investment. International undergraduates can apply separately for need-based aid, and Rice says it will meet 100% of demonstrated need for those who receive assistance.
“This is a defining moment for Rice University and for the future of higher education,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches said. “Talent exists in every community and across every socioeconomic background. Because of the extraordinary generosity of our alumni and supporters, more students than ever will have access to the life-changing opportunities a Rice education provides.”
Before the expansion, families earning less than $75,000 received tuition, mandatory fees, room and board; those earning $75,000 to $140,000 received full tuition; and those earning $140,000 to $200,000 qualified for at least half tuition, assuming typical assets.
Aid grows with enrollment
Rice launched the Rice Investment in 2019. The university says it has provided more than $1 billion in financial aid since then, a 75% increase compared with the seven years before the program began.
The university has increased its undergraduate population by approximately 25% and its faculty by approximately 20% since 2020 while maintaining a 6-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.
“At many universities, families with middle or upper-middle incomes often assume they will not qualify for meaningful financial aid,” said Yvonne Romero, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid. “This expansion changes that conversation and simplifies the criteria. We want students and families to know that cost should not discourage them from considering Rice.”
University funding and philanthropic support will finance the expansion, Rice said. Maintaining the new thresholds will remain one of the university’s highest fundraising priorities.
Students must complete Rice’s standard financial aid application each year for consideration. Rice reserves the final decision on eligibility.
Provided by Dallas Express
