Pennsylvania free tuition programs are expanding fast, and most start with the class entering in fall 2027. At all 10 PASSHE state universities, in-state students who get both a Pell Grant and a PA State Grant will pay no tuition after other aid. Pitt already covers tuition for Pennsylvania families with household income of $75,000 or less at its regional campuses. The Temple Promise covers Philadelphia students with family income of $65,000 or less. All three are last-dollar programs, so the FAFSA is the key application.
Each program below is from the university's or system's own page, checked October 27, 2026.
The programs side by side
| Program | Who qualifies | Where | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| PASSHE Pledge | In-state undergraduates receiving both a Pell Grant and a PA State Grant | All 10 PASSHE universities | Fall 2027 |
| Pitt Regional Campus Tuition Pledge | Pennsylvania residents, household AGI $75,000 or less, full time | Pitt Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown; Titusville nursing | Fall 2026 |
| Temple Promise | Philadelphia County residents, spring 2027 high school graduates, family AGI $65,000 or less, first-year full time | Temple | Fall 2027 |
Sources: PASSHE (July 9, 2026 release); University of Pittsburgh Office of Admissions and Financial Aid; Temple University Undergraduate Admissions.
PASSHE Pledge
PASSHE's Board of Governors approved the pledge in July 2026. Eligible students "would pay no out-of-pocket tuition costs after federal, state and institutional aid is applied." Fees, books, housing and meals aren't included. Each university will finalize its own program, and PASSHE says more details will come.
The 10 PASSHE universities include West Chester, Commonwealth University, PennWest, Slippery Rock, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg and Cheyney.
What tuition is being covered: PASSHE's base in-state tuition for 2026-27 is $8,338 a year, plus a technology fee ($518-$970) and mandatory fees ($2,058-$4,118) that vary by university. PASSHE estimates the average Pennsylvania undergraduate living on campus pays $24,521 a year in total.
Pitt Regional Campus Tuition Pledge
- Who: Pennsylvania residents with household adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less on the FAFSA.
- Where: Pitt Bradford, Pitt Greensburg, Pitt Johnstown and the nursing program at Pitt Titusville. Not the Pittsburgh campus.
- Who's included: new first-year students, transfers and current students, enrolled full time.
- What's covered: remaining tuition only after federal, state and institutional aid; not textbooks, housing, meals or fees.
Temple Promise
- Who: first-year, full-time students living in Philadelphia County who graduate high school in spring 2027, are admitted for fall 2027 and qualify for in-state tuition, with family AGI of $65,000 or less on the FAFSA.
- What's covered: remaining in-state tuition and eligible fees after other aid; not room and board.
- What's next: Temple says it may expand the program's geographic reach in future years.
What this means for you
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA by May 1, 2027. The PASSHE Pledge depends on a PA State Grant, which has that deadline for four-year colleges; see PA State Grant deadlines.
- Pell-eligible and flexible on campus? A Pitt regional campus may cost $0 in tuition now.
- Philadelphia senior with family income of $65,000 or less? Temple Promise starts with your class.
- Budget for the rest: none of these cover housing or meals.