ADRIAN — In an effort to break down barriers to college access and make students more likely to stay in Michigan, Siena Heights University is rolling out a policy of guaranteed free tuition for any full-time undergraduate student from a household with an income of less than $65,000 per year.

To be eligible, a student must be a Lenawee County resident or have graduated from a Lenawee County high school. Students with a total household income of less than $65,000 are eligible for the full tuition discount, while students with a household income of less than $80,000 will pay less than $10,000 a year. To keep their eligibility, students must be enrolled full time on the Adrian campus for both the fall and winter semesters.

According to 2022 census estimates, the median household income in Lenawee County is about $67,000.

University president Douglas Palmer said that while Siena Heights already has a robust financial aid program, making a clear promise that there will be no tuition for anybody with a household income under $65,000 will help “clear away all the guesswork.”

“We already commit about $17 million a year in our own institutional financial aid,” he said.

But at the same time, Palmer said, some students may assume that attending a private college is out of reach for them.

“For certain families, the sticker price can be an obstacle,” he said.

The way the promise works, Palmer said, is that once the student’s eligibility for federal Pell Grants and Michigan tuition grants is determined, Siena Heights will make up the difference required to get the student’s tuition bill to zero.

“Students should have the opportunity to choose the school that is right for them, regardless of their financial background,” he said.

Although the program does not cover room and board — Palmer said that wasn’t practical because of the direct cost those items represent to the university — campus residency is not a requirement. Although Siena Heights believes in the value of a residential undergraduate experience, he said, students will also have the option of continuing to live at home if that makes more sense for them.

Palmer said the guarantee is also part of an effort to reduce the number of young people leaving Michigan for other states. He cited research that shows one in five Michigan residents under 30 thinks they will need to leave the state for economic opportunities.

By giving Lenawee County students more opportunities locally, he said, the university hopes to help Michigan’s economy by getting more students into the talent pipeline.