How the Program Works
Through the Gustie Guarantee, we’ll cover $59,624 every year with “gift aid”—money you don’t pay back—through a combination of scholarships and grants from the College and the government. While we anticipate a tuition increase each year of 3.5% (based on historical averages), the exact increase is subject to change.
You’ll pay any tuition increases after your first year, plus housing, meals, and fees each year.
But wait! To help cover housing, food, fees and extra tuition, you could also get additional grants, scholarships, student employment, or federal loans depending on your family’s unique financial circumstances.
Tuition Support for Four Years
The First-Year Free Tuition program will continue to help you during your sophomore, junior, and senior years, as long as you continue to be eligible. Over four years, you can receive more than $220,000 in scholarships and grants towards your education.
Why Gustavus?
A Gustavus education is all about designing your future, and it’s an investment that pays off. When you become a Gustie, you’ll experience:
- On-time graduation with strong financial support
- A rigorous liberal arts education in a supportive, close-knit community
- Hands-on learning that connects the classroom to your career
- The best of both worlds: small-town beauty with big-city access
With 100+ student groups, 17 music ensembles, 23 varsity athletic teams, 400 alumni mentors, and 50+ study away locations you’ll have endless ways to explore who you are, and who you’re becoming.
FAQs
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for the First-Year Free Tuition program, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be admitted to Gustavus Adolphus College to start fall 20265
- Be a first-time, full-time student
- Be a Minnesota resident
- File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Have a family adjusted gross income as reported on the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act Application below $80,000
How do I qualify?
First, apply for admission using the Common App or the Gustavus Application. Once your file is complete, you will receive an admission decision within two weeks. Admitted students should then file the FAFSA. Be sure to list Gustavus as one of the schools you would like to receive your financial information.
How do I find out if I qualify for the First-Year Free Tuition program?
If you are admitted and we receive your financial information via the FAFSA, we will create a financial aid offer for you. This offer will be released within your Applicant Portal and mailed to your home address. Your financial aid offer will list all forms of funding for which you are qualified – scholarships, grants, loans, student employment – and will indicate if your first-year tuition will be covered through multiple funding sources.
Please note: for eligible students, first-year tuition will be covered by Gustavus through merit-based scholarships and grants, also known as gift aid. Merit-based scholarships (Gold Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, President’s Scholarship) are not awarded in addition to the First-Year Free Tuition program.
What happens after the first year?
If you continue to meet the criteria for the program listed above, you will be responsible for the tuition increase, typically 3.5% each year, plus housing, meals, and fees.