GW's Revolutionary Promise

The George Washington University Announces Affordability Program: 
New Student Families With Incomes Under $100,000 Will Pay No Tuition

At Least Half Tuition Will Be Covered for Undergraduates Whose Families Earn up to $150,000 

Frequently Asked Questions: 
The GW Revolutionary Promise

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Eligibility Requirements 

Q: Do I need to submit a separate application to be considered for the Revolutionary Promise?

No. Students entering in a fall semester are automatically considered after submitting the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), tax documents, and verification documents (if required) by the first-year deadlines. Renewal materials and updated FAFSA filings are required in future years.

Q: Who is eligible for the Revolutionary Promise income-based scholarship guarantee? 

Starting with the Class of 2030, full-time domestic residential undergraduate students* completing their first degree are eligible for these need and merit-based awards.

There are two distinct eligibility pathways for domestic students. Please see the criteria below: 

Income-Based Tuition Guarantee

Beginning with Fall 2026, new domestic residential undergraduate entrants* from family households with typical assets qualify for the following minimum scholarship and grant levels:

Total Household Incomes (custodial and noncustodial)
$100,000 or below	Full Tuition
$100,001 – $150,000	Half Tuition

Total household income is calculated by combining:

• Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from the applicable tax year
• All untaxed income, such as tax-exempt interest and certain retirement distributions
• Income from both biological/adoptive parents, custodial and noncustodial parents, and stepparents, if applicable, including wages, business or self-employment earnings, taxable unemployment benefits, and any other taxable or untaxed income sources

To be eligible, students must:

• Be admitted as a full-time undergraduate student to one of the residential colleges in a fall semester
• First-year requirements: Submit required financial aid applications (FAFSA and College Scholarship Service [CSS] Profile, as applicable) and tax documentation by published deadlines
• Subsequent years requirement: Complete required renewal documentation each academic year

Applies to tuition only. Does not include student fees, housing, meals, books, or other indirect costs. Awards may include both need-based and merit-based institutional gift aid, and federal aid.

Q: Are returning undergraduate students eligible for the Revolutionary Promise program income-based scholarship guarantee?

The Revolutionary Promise program builds on GW’s broader commitment to affordability. The university already provides substantial need-based support that considers the full cost of attendance, including housing, meals, and other educational expenses. Current need-based aid packages, and the annual increases, continue to make GW both realistic and manageable for our students coming from lower income families.

For returning students, updated financial aid packages will be released in July. Based on typical year-to-year adjustments, most full-time undergraduates who reapply for aid, and meet eligibility requirements will see increases in their financial aid for 2026–2027 academic year.

If your family’s financial situation has changed significantly, you may request a reevaluation after receiving your updated package by submitting a new College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile and FAFSA.

Q: Are all undergraduate students eligible for the GW Revolutionary Promise merit scholarship expansion?

Qualifying merit scholarships for current undergraduate students will be extended from five years (10 fall/spring semesters) to six years (12 fall/spring semesters). New scholarship recipients entering in Fall 2026 and later will receive a six-year merit-based scholarship guarantee (up to 12 fall/spring semesters) provided the following conditions are met:

• The student remains enrolled full time.
• The student maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

The following merit scholarships qualify students for the Multi-Year Merit Scholarship Guarantee:

• Presidential Academic Scholarship
• IB Scholarship
• Cisneros Scholars
• Corcoran Scholarship
• Posse Scholars
• SJT Scholars

Q: Are international students eligible for the GW Revolutionary Promise guarantees? 

International students are not eligible for income-based tuition guarantee, but they may apply for aid after completing 30 credit hours at GW and maintaining the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standard. The max amount of total aid available is $10,000. 

Q: Are graduate students eligible for the Revolutionary Promise? 

No. Graduate students are not eligible for the Revolutionary Promise program. Admitted graduate students are encouraged to apply for aid from their respective graduate schools. 

Q: Do I have to maintain full-time status to be eligible? 

Yes. Students must be enrolled full-time each fall and spring semester to remain eligible. Students in their final semester who need to enroll part-time may request prorated aid that reflects the lower cost of attendance. 

Q: Is GW’s Revolutionary Promise applicable to all semesters?

The Promise program is limited to 12 fall/spring semesters of full-time, on-campus undergraduate study and does not apply to summer semesters. 

Q: Can the merit and tuition guarantee funding be used for a study-abroad semester?

Students may be eligible for the Revolutionary Promise while they are participating in a GW approved study-abroad program.

Q: Do I have to live on campus? 

This is a residential student program, meaning that GW students enrolled in one of its five residential colleges are eligible.  The non-residential colleges (College of Professional Studies, School of Nursing, and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences) are not eligible. Students must live on campus for the required campus residency years, unless students have received approval to commute from home or a relative’s home.

Students who live at home may still qualify, but their total grants and scholarships will be prorated to reflect the lower average cost of those housing choices. Aid will still be based on the total family contribution determined from the student’s first year financial aid application. New full-time degree seeking transfer students are required to live in residential housing on-campus.

Q: Is the award from the Revolutionary Promise a fixed amount for every year? If GW increases tuition, will my scholarship also increase to meet full or half tuition? 

The minimum award from the Revolutionary Promise each year is designed to meet full or up to half tuition, depending on the documented household income of the awardee’s family. The award will not exceed the cost of tuition, but it will increase as necessary to continue to meet full or half tuition.

 
Funding & Household Income

Q: What is included in total household income? 

Total household income is calculated by combining:

• Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from the applicable tax year
• All untaxed income, such as tax-exempt interest and certain retirement distributions
• Income from both biological/adoptive parents, custodial and noncustodial parents, and stepparents, if applicable, including wages, business or self-employment earnings, taxable unemployment benefits, and any other taxable or untaxed income sources

Income is verified initially through the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile and FAFSA, and then through FAFSA for each subsequent year. 

Q: Which sources of funding are included in GW’s Revolutionary Promise?

Funding includes both need-based and merit-based gift aid, funds that do not need to be repaid, as well as federal, state, and private financial aid sources.

Funding applies to tuition only. It does not cover the following expenses:

• Student fees
• Housing and meal plans
• Books and supplies
• Health insurance
• Transportation
• Personal expenses

All financial aid packages — including those for recipients of the Revolutionary Promise — may include additional assistance to help cover these costs based on a student’s demonstrated financial need.

Q: What is included in a financial aid package? 

Recipients of the Revolutionary Promise will receive grant and scholarship aid sufficient to fully cover tuition or scholarships and grants up to 50 percent of tuition, depending on the recipient’s family income.

In general, a GW financial aid package may include a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans offered by GW, as well as federal, state, and private sources. 

Q: Can I qualify for additional grants and scholarships? 

Yes. GW attempts to provide competitive financial aid packages to address a student's total cost of attendance. Families may receive additional grants and scholarships beyond the income-based or multi-year scholarship guarantees if they show further financial need. These additional funds may come from GW or from federal, state, or private sources and can help cover costs not included in the income-based tuition guarantee. A student’s total financial aid package cannot exceed the direct cost of attendance.

Q: How are typical assets defined? 

Families with significant assets above what is typical for their income level may not qualify for the Revolutionary Promise program, though GW remains committed to meeting most demonstrated financial need in the first year.

Assets considered in the evaluation may include:

• Cash and savings
• Investments
• Business or farm net worth
• Other real estate
• Any other reportable assets

Qualified retirement accounts are excluded in accordance with federal financial aid guidelines.

Families whose assets are substantially higher than what is typical for their income level may receive an adjusted award based on the overall financial profile.

 
Changes to Household Income and Family Size

Q: What changes to household income can affect my eligibility or the amount of funding I receive?

Changes to household income include, but are not limited to: 

• A 15% or greater increase in your parent(s)’ total income from one academic year to the next. Total income may include AGI, tax-exempt interest income, untaxed pension or IRA distributions, deductible payments to IRA/Keogh plans, or other forms of untaxed income.
• A reduction in the number of undergraduate siblings enrolled in college, which can change a family’s calculated ability to contribute.
• Other material changes that may affect your family’s ability to meet educational expenses.

If your family experiences a loss of income or other financial hardship, you may request a professional judgment review through the financial aid appeal process. 

Q: What should I do if my family’s financial situation declines after my first year? 

Please visit our Getting Assistance page for more information about eligibility factors and appeal processes if your family experiences a substantial negative change in financial circumstances.

Q: Will I have to apply for financial aid each year to remain eligible? 

Yes, for more details, please visit our website for more information. 

If there is no major change in your family’s circumstances, the financial aid application materials listed previously may be all that is required, unless the FAFSA is selected for verification by the federal government.

 
Academic Requirements

Q: What academic standards must be maintained for GW’s Revolutionary Promise? 

To remain eligible, students must:  

• Maintain Merit Scholarship Renewal standards
  These typically include minimum GPA requirements, remaining a full-time student in the Fall and Spring semesters, and staying on track toward degree completion.
• Maintain Academic Progress standards
  These typically include minimum GPA requirements, completing a certain percentage of attempted credits, and staying on track toward degree completion.
• Remain in good academic standing
  This generally means not being on academic probation or suspension.
• Adhere to all university policies
  Violations of academic or conduct policies may result in losing eligibility.

Failure to meet any of these conditions can result in loss of the financial benefits provided by the program.

Q: Will changes be made to the program in the future? 

The university reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria or discontinue the program for future entering classes.