Utica University Announces New Tuition-Free Program for Eligible First-Year Students

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Utica University Announces New Tuition-Free Program for Eligible First-Year Students

President Todd Pfannestiel and VP of Enrollment Management Eric Sykes stand in front of monitors announcing Pioneer Passport.

For qualified and interested applicants, there is no separate application for Pioneer Passport. Students simply apply for admissions at Utica University.

On October 3, 2024, Utica University President Todd Pfannestiel and Vice President for Enrollment Management Eric Sykes announced the official launch of Pioneer Passport, a new tuition-free option for qualified first-year students.

The goal of the Pioneer Passport program is to offer a zero-dollar tuition option for eligible first-year students. Pioneer Passport offsets all out-of-pocket tuition costs and mandatory fees that are not covered by other scholarship and grant programs. In other words, once students receive TAP, Pell Grant, and other benefits, Pioneer Passport pays any remaining tuition balance.

Qualified first-year students must be New York State residents (as determined by TAP eligibility guidelines) with an annual family income of $65,000 or less, based on 2023 tax filings.

For qualified and interested applicants, there is no separate application for Pioneer Passport. Students simply apply for admissions at Utica University. Once accepted, students should file their FAFSA and NYS TAP applications. While there is no deadline for eligibility, Utica University strongly recommends submitting these applications as soon as possible.

Pioneer Passport is similar to other need-based financial aid programs, but it has no ceiling on the number of recipients, no post-graduation residency requirement, and no time limit on the award. If qualified students continue to meet all criteria, they can attend Utica University for the entire four years tuition-free.

However, if at some point a student’s family income exceeds the $65,000 annual maximum, they will no longer be eligible. Additionally, if a student changes residency to another state, this will make them ineligible for Pioneer Passport. This program is not available to transfer students at this time.

Since its founding, Utica University has been committed to affordability and providing students with access to a quality private university education, regardless of their financial means.

“By closing the tuition gap for a large number of future first-year students, Pioneer Passport fully supports our mission to make higher education an attractive option on everyone’s table. We’re doing this not only because we can, but because it is the right thing to do,” said Utica University President Todd Pfannestiel.

Utica University already offers one of the lowest tuition prices among private universities in the region. In 2016, Utica University boldly took the lead among New York’s private colleges to reset its tuition price, reducing it by 42%. Currently, the estimated annual cost for a full-time undergraduate student, before financial aid, is $25,830 tuition and $14,848 for room and board.

More information on Pioneer Passport can be found here.