The University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Durham is launching its Granite Guarantee program in the fall, which will guarantee all full-time, first-year NH students receiving federal Pell grants will pay no tuition to attend the university.
The university initially estimates the program will cover tuition for 285 first-year students studying on the university's Durham and Manchester campuses. First-year NH students who receive federal Pell grants in their UNH financial aid awards will be automatically included. The program remains in place for these students over four years, provided the student is enrolled full-time, remains Pell eligible and makes satisfactory progress toward their degree.
“Granite Guarantee allows us to remove more of the financial barriers to higher education that many New Hampshire families face,” says Mark Huddleston, president of UNH, adding that the program is intended to make higher education more affordable and accessible in the Granite State.
Celebrate 150, the largest fundraising campaign in UNH history, was the main source of funding to launch the first year of the program. The overall $275 million campaign, scheduled to end in 2018, will primarily support student aid and scholarships.
Governor Chris Sununu says the Granite Guarantee program "lends opportunities for low-income New Hampshire students to seek higher education and explore workforce pathways that may not have otherwise seemed possible."
No separate application is needed for the program; students who apply for admission to UNH and for financial aid through the existing procedures are automatically eligible. The admission application deadline for first-year students for this fall is March 1, and donations for Granite Guarantee are still open.
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