November 14, 2025
Johns Hopkins says the free tuition offer applies to current and future undergraduates who meet the income threshold.
Johns Hopkins University announced its free tuition initiative for families earning under $200,000.
The free tuition initiative will begin in 2026. Johns Hopkins said the policy applies to all domestic undergraduates. The offer applies to current and future undergraduates who meet the income threshold. Tuition at the Baltimore-based institution costs $63,000 as of Fall 2025.
According to the university’s website, the initiative is part of the Johns Hopkins Tuition Promise, which aims to help the institution find the best and brightest regardless of their economic status.
“By expanding financial support now, we’re continuing our commitment to reduce financial barriers so talented students from a broader range of economic backgrounds can thrive here, without worrying about debt,” the website states.
School leaders say the shift is part of a multi-year effort to expand access and reduce the financial hardship traditionally linked with elite private universities. In a statement to WMAR-2 News, university President Ron Daniels reinforced Johns Hopkins’s commitment to merit-based access.
“This is about ensuring that we recruit the best and brightest students to Johns Hopkins irrespective of their financial wherewithal,” Daniels told the station.
Housing, meals, and fees will not be fully covered, but the university noted that financial aid packages will expand to reduce those costs.
For students in Baltimore and beyond, the Tuition Promise represents a structural shift that university officials say will remain permanent. The school also noted that the expansion was possible due to sustained fundraising, rising endowment support, and institutional prioritizing of access.
“It’s about hope, dignity, and the belief that financial barriers should never dictate what a young person can achieve,” Daniels said.
Johns Hopkins’ announcement arrives as more universities adopt affordability policies meant to increase access and competition. Emory University introduced its own expansion earlier this year through its Advantage Plus program, as BLACK ENTERPRISE reported. Like Johns Hopkins, Emory’s Advantage Plus will eliminate tuition for undergraduate families making under $200,000. The school said the initiative is “designed to reduce student debt and support long-term financial stability for graduates.”
Together, the moves by Johns Hopkins and Emory signal a shift in how elite institutions understand their responsibility to the families they serve.
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