Trustees at Cleveland State University approved a program that will pay tuition for eligible incoming first-year students beginning next year. The Cleveland State Commitment is aimed at Ohio residents entering as first-years who hold at least a 3.0 GPA and whose families report adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less.
Under the plan, qualifying students would owe nothing for tuition across as many as eight consecutive semesters. Federal and state grants and scholarships are applied first, and the university covers what remains. To keep the aid, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid annually, maintain a 2.0 GPA, enroll full time and continue to meet the income threshold.
The commitment applies to tuition only. Housing, meals, books, transportation and program-specific fees are not included. Full-time in-state undergraduate tuition is listed at $6,828.
President Laura Bloomberg described the program as widening access for Ohio families, and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey said in a statement that he strongly supports it. Jennifer Tisone Price, executive director of the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors, said college should be affordable and accessible, while asking how the university will fund the commitment without placing the burden on faculty.
Ohio Department of Higher Education figures cited in the report show headcount dropping from 15,630 in fall 2019 to 12,872 in fall 2025. Other Ohio institutions with similar offerings include the University of Akron, Shawnee State University and the Buckeye Bridge pathway from Columbus State Community College to Ohio State. Education Data Initiative figures cited put Ohio student borrowers near 1.78 million, with average debt of $35,072.