The Aquinas Assurance will allow eligible low-income families to send their 2024 high school graduates to Aquinas with no out-of-pocket payments toward standard tuition or fees.
Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 2, 2023 – Aquinas College is proud to introduce the Aquinas Assurance, a financial aid program that completely covers the standard tuition and fees of students with the greatest financial need.
“Since my first day as Aquinas College's president, affordability has been at the forefront of my mind,” said President Alicia R. Córdoba, DMA, now in her second year leading the College. “As a Catholic Dominican institution, cost should not be a barrier for entry into this incredible community. We are proud to invest in our students and community through the Aquinas Assurance program.”
To receive the Aquinas Assurance, students must meet the following criteria:
- Eligible for the maximum Federal Pell grant
- Eligible for the full Michigan Achievement Scholarship
- Eligible for the full Michigan Tuition Grant
- Graduate from high school in the Spring of 2024 with a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
- File a FAFSA by May 1, 2024
Eligible students should note that in order to continue receiving the scholarship for up to five years, they must carry at least 12 credits in a traditional Bachelor’s Degree program and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. Full tuition and fees apply to the 2024-2025 academic year only and not to future tuition and fee increases as students work toward their degrees. Room, board, and nonstandard fees are excluded. Loans can be applied toward these costs.
As a top performer in Social Mobility among liberal arts colleges, Aquinas College’s campus community welcomes and supports students from all backgrounds. It starts with our no-cost application followed by generous scholarships with the college awarding 100% of first-year, traditional-age students a scholarship or grant last year. Finally, when Aquinas College students graduate, they earn an average starting salary of $50K.
“Aquinas College is committed to making a high-quality education affordable for all,” said Brian Matzke, Vice President of Enrollment Management. “Our vision for education focuses on the development of the whole person, and to do that, we must attend to their needs. The Aquinas Assurance will reduce students’ financial anxiety, allowing them to turn their full focus to their studies and discover their purpose. It’s another step towards ensuring their success.”
The Financial Aid Office is available to assist any student in assessing their eligibility for the Aquinas Assurance. For students who do not qualify for this specific program, there are plenty of additional scholarships, grants, and loans to which the Financial Aid Office can help them apply. Dedicated financial aid counselors can help students find the right aid opportunities.