Pitt to Offer Some Students Free Tuition at Branch Campuses

The University of Pittsburgh announced it will offer free tuition at its four branch campuses to Pennsylvanians whose household incomes are below $75,000.

“The Pitt Regional Campus Tuition Pledge reflects our deep commitment to the students attending our regional campuses,” the institution’s chancellor, Joan Gabel, said in the announcement. “Students in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, Titusville and across Pennsylvania deserve affordable access to a University of Pittsburgh education, and this program is our direct investment in making that a reality while strengthening the communities our regional campuses serve.” 

The program will take effect this fall. In the announcement, the university said the pledge aims to support the populations served by its branch campuses, who are often first-generation learners and Pell Grant recipients.

Pitt is the latest institution to launch a tuition promise program; numerous highly selective institutions, as well as a handful of other public universities, have announced such guarantees in recent years. The move comes as the state flagship institution, Penn State University, is shuttering seven regional campuses, including several in central and western Pennsylvania.