'Marshall For All:' University gives free tuition to qualifying resident students

For the past two academic years, a random cohort of 100 West Virginia and metro-area students has been chosen for the Marshall For All: Debt-Free program. The promise to these students was the rest of their tuition would be paid, given they earn a bachelor’s degree within four years, apply for the FAFSA and available scholarships, complete an internship and financial literacy courses, and regularly consult with their academic advisors and peer mentors.

Now, 100% of tuition will be covered under the program for students who:

• Are a West Virginia resident
• Are a first-year freshman
• Has a family income below $65,000
• Has applied and been accepted to the university
• Has completed the FAFSA to determine eligibility

The coverage includes mandatory university fees, although students will remain responsible for housing, meals, books and other personal expenses.

There is no additional application for the program, as students will be automatically considered upon acceptance into Marshall.

“We understand that affording college is a major concern for many families,� said Jerry Ross, Marshall’s chief enrollment officer, in a news release. “This program is another way we’re working to make a Marshall education more accessible.�

Marshall Provost Avinandan “Avi� Mukherjee told HD Media, although students have been selected randomly for the overall Marshall For All program up to this point, many of them came from low-income households or were Pell Grant recipients.

President Brad D. Smith told the Board of Governors during a regular meeting earlier this month, the fall 2024 cohort of 100 students in the program had a grade point average of 3.08. He compared this to Pell-eligible students who aren’t in the program, who averaged a GPA of 2.69.

Smith said the retention for Pell-eligible students in the Marshall For All program is also significantly higher than their peers not in the program.

“There are two things that we have seen to be predictive of success: One is if you remove the barrier of financial concern and burden, and the second is if you provide the right support network,� Smith said after the meeting.

Smith said he also expects the university to accept another 200 students into Marshall For All: Debt-Free program for the fall 2025 semester.

“We’re going to double the size of the program,� he said.