Families with an annual income under $150,000 won’t have to pay tuition at Notre Dame, the university announced.
On March 17, the University of Notre Dame said that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, undergraduate students who qualify will receive need-based financial aid that covers the cost of tuition. The news is part of the South Bend university’s expansion of its Pathways to Notre Dame initiative that launched in 2024.
Families with income below $200,000 will receive need-based aid that covers half the cost of tuition, the school said in a news release. Families with annual income below $60,000 will receive need-based financial aid that covers tuition, fees, housing and food.
“In order to be the community of learning we are called to be, cost must never be a barrier. By expanding the Pathways to Notre Dame program with this announcement, we continue to make strides to make a Notre Dame education more affordable,” said University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd. “We are committed to making every effort to welcome talented young people from a variety of backgrounds to a Notre Dame community that will help them to develop their gifts. I have no doubt that the students who come to Notre Dame thanks to Pathways will enrich our community in every way.”
Micki Kidder, vice president of undergraduate enrollment, said he’s grateful that the university is expanding the Pathways to Notre Dame program.
“With this announcement, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to ensuring that cost will never be a barrier between a promising student and a Notre Dame education, and we are ensuring that families have greater clarity as they consider this important and formative step for young scholars,” Kidder said. “Navigating the financial aid process can often feel like the most daunting part of the college selection journey. By implementing income-based scholarship thresholds, we are providing the clarity families need to see that a world-class education is within their reach.”
Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Families with income under $150,000 won’t pay Notre Dame tuition
Reporting by Jade Jackson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
