Susquehanna Offers Tuition-Free Path for 10 Counties
Eligible students from 10 Pennsylvania counties entering in fall 2027 can attend with tuition fully covered.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Financial Aid
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Susquehanna University announced a tuition-free program for eligible students in 10 Pennsylvania counties, covering tuition for students entering in fall 2027 from families with income up to $100,000. The announcement was made Wednesday.
Why it matters
The program targets students from a defined regional area tied to the university's history of serving meritorious students regardless of family finances. For Pennsylvania residents in the eligible counties, it offers a tuition path that does not depend on a separate application process.
The pledge covers tuition only, while students remain responsible for housing, meals and other fees. Eligibility requires admission for fall 2027, residence in one of the 10 counties, family adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less, on-campus living, and qualification for both the Pennsylvania State Grant and a federal Pell Grant.
The players
Susquehanna University
Susquehanna University is a private liberal arts institution in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, founded about 170 years ago to provide education to meritorious students regardless of their families' financial means.
The details
Eligible students must qualify for both the Pennsylvania State Grant and a Federal Pell Grant and must live on campus. No additional forms or paperwork are required to qualify. The eligible counties are Centre, Columbia, Dauphin, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder and Union.
Timeline
Susquehanna announced the tuition pledge on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
The first entering class eligible for tuition-free attendance begins in fall 2027.
Legal Context
The pledge pairs institutional tuition coverage with the Pennsylvania State Grant and the federal Pell Grant, so it layers on top of existing public need-based aid rather than replacing it. Its income ceiling of $100,000 sits well above the threshold used for Pell eligibility, extending coverage to a broader middle-income group than federal aid alone reaches.
Students from the 10 eligible counties who plan to attend in fall 2027 should confirm they qualify for both the Pennsylvania State Grant and a Pell Grant and that their family's adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less. Housing, meals and other fees remain the student's responsibility and should be budgeted separately.
The takeaway
Tuition coverage alone does not eliminate college costs, so families should plan for housing, meals and fees when weighing the pledge. Checking grant eligibility early is the most practical step for students in the eligible counties.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Financial Aid in Pennsylvania.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WVIA Public Media.
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