Great news! Portland State is increasing the number of Oregon residents who qualify to attend PSU tuition-free.
PSU is expanding eligibility for Four Years Free, a program that covers tuition and fees for income-eligible PSU students for four years. To qualify for the program, first-year freshmen must have graduated from an Oregon high school, be enrolled full-time at PSU, be eligible to receive a Pell grant and have a 3.2 high school GPA. Previously, the program required a 3.4 GPA.
“Four Years Free is a path for Oregon students to pursue higher education regardless of their income. Four Years Free levels the playing field for low-income students by removing the barrier of cost. We are expanding the academic eligibility of the program to double down on our commitment to equity and providing an affordable four-year education,” said Chuck Knepfle, Vice President for Enrollment Management. “Portland State University is Portland’s public research university and we are going to continue to find ways to amplify the potential of Oregon students and clear the way for their pursuit of higher education.”
Four Years Free helps students graduate on time and with less debt. Since the program started in Fall 2017, 1,564 students have enrolled in Four Years Free; 509 of these students started in Fall 2019.
“It has been a joy being in this program, and it has allowed me–coming from a single-parent household–to be worry-free when it comes to things like my tuition,” said Kaelib LeBreton, a PSU senior majoring in Japanese language and literature.
LeBreton has been a part of the Four Years Free program since his freshman year. After graduation, he plans to work in Japan as an English teaching assistant or to become a professional translator or interpreter working in international relations.
“I joined Four Years Free because my family was not in a place to support me financially,” he said. “Before I heard about this program, I did not think I would be able to go to university as soon as I wanted to. I would strongly encourage Oregon resident high school seniors to seriously consider this opportunity, and find the lasting benefits that this program can give you as it did me.”
Students interested in applying for Four Years Free must submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and apply to PSU by May 1. Eligible students apply for federal and state grants, and the Four Years Free program covers the remaining standard tuition and mandatory fees.
For more information about the program, visit the Four Years Free website. Oregon college students considering transferring to PSU can check out the sister program, Transfers Finish Free.
Students from Western States: deadline for reduced tuition extended
Portland State is a proud participant in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE, affectionately pronounced whoo-EE). WUE provides reduced out-of-state tuition for incoming freshmen and transfer students from certain states and territories.
In order to qualify for the WUE program, students must meet certain academic requirements and be residents of one of the following states or territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Reduced WUE tuition is available to freshman students for up to four years and for transfer students for up to three years. This fall, 1,088 WUE students enrolled at PSU, including 758 freshmen and 330 transfer students.
All PSU applicants are automatically considered for WUE and do not need to submit a separate application for the program, but they must apply to PSU by May 1. Learn more about WUE.