Private College & University Tuition Commitment
In joining the Say Yes Higher Education Compact, private colleges and universities agree to ensure that students whose annual family income is at or below $75,000 are typically eligible, at a minimum, to attend tuition-free, provided they successfully navigate the institution’s regular admission process.
Say Yes students whose family income is above $75,000 and who are enrolled in a Compact institution are eligible to receive annual grants, from the organization’s local scholarship funds, of up to $5,000. While Say Yes adopted a citywide approach in 2008, college scholarships are still available to several hundred students in the organization’s earlier chapters in Harlem in New York City; Philadelphia, and Hartford, Conn.
NOTE: The private colleges and universities that are the members of the Say Yes Higher Education Compact are the primary source of funding to Say Yes students attending their institutions. While all of the member colleges have agreed to the basic conditions of the Say Yes program, the institutions may have policies and restrictions that are unique – including policies that may take into account a family’s assets when considering Say Yes awards. (See below.)
Parents and students seeking more information on the specific financial aid policies of members of the Say Yes Compact should consult the websites of Say Yes Buffalo, Say Yes Guilford, Say Yes Syracuse and Say Yes Cleveland as well as the member institutions themselves.