Many of the Bearcat Affordability Grant students are already eligible for Pell Grants, or federal grants that cover the cost of tuition for U.S. university students. The university will cover the remaining costs after Pell Grants, scholarships and the Ohio College Opportunity Grant, need-based assistance for students attending college in Ohio or select institutions in Pennsylvania.
“We really saw this as an opportunity to use the growth that we’ve seen as an opportunity to reinvest in students from Ohio to make sure that it’s more affordable,” said Jack Miner, vice provost for enrollment management at UC.
Miner noted that UC has seen significant growth, adding nearly 9,000 students in the last eight years. Currently, the university has just under 54,000 students enrolled, he said.
UC has added a few hundred students per year in growth the last few years, Miner said, and UC projects that trend will continue.
The initiative is a line-item in the university’s budget, Miner said.
Many more Ohio students will be able to afford a four-year degree or be able to go to college through this initiative. The median Ohio income between 2019 and 2023 was around $69,680, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, meaning many families fall significantly below the $75,000 cutoff at UC.
Miner said paying tuition has been a top reason why students stop attending UC, so this could lead to higher graduation rates as well.
“This will absolutely be the difference for hundreds, if not thousands of students in Ohio being able to go to college or being able to go to a four-year college,” he said.
Miner said UC sees the new initiative as a way to invest in Ohio’s economy and celebrate the success that UC has seen.
“The reason we’re trying to grow as a university is ultimately to create a stronger workforce for the region and for Ohio,” Miner said.
A stronger Ohio workforce has been a top priority for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted, both in Husted’s role as a senator and as the former lieutenant governor. Current Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, the former president of Youngstown State University, has also advocated for universities to take a stronger role in promoting Ohio’s workforce.
“The Bearcat Affordability Grant strengthens families and communities across Ohio, from our largest cities to our rural regions,” UC president Neville Pinto said. “By removing financial barriers and expanding access to a UC education, we are preparing many more students to enter high-demand fields and contribute to a workforce that keeps our state competitive. This is an investment not only in individual students, but in Ohio’s long-term prosperity and the employers who depend on a strong, steady talent pipeline.”
Using Pell Grants and covering tuition previously caused problems for at least one Ohio institution. Eastern Gateway College in northeastern Ohio was part of a wider project that covered tuition costs but also accepted Pell Grants. The community college is now shuttered and facing questions about how it spent federal funding, particularly Pell disbursements.
Miner said the UC grant is different because it is needs-based.
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