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June 4, 2025
Not Just Financial Aid: Enabling Affordability Guarantees Through Tuition Policy
Higher education is at a crossroads: public confidence in the promise of college is waning, and recent policy shifts threaten its core values of open inquiry and opportunity. Even as we stand firm in defending these principles, we must also put forward bold new ideas to re-envision how to truly make college work for everyone.
Our new report explores the promise of affordability guarantees — policies that center on what students actually pay (net price), not just how much aid is offered.
While higher education hasn’t always lived up to its ideals of broad access and equity, affordability guarantees could be a key component in a broader suite of solutions to fulfill the promise of college as a powerful, accessible pathway.
This policy brief explores how affordability guarantees can be designed to improve clarity, equity, and access—while also acknowledging the trade-offs, nuances, and unintended consequences that must be addressed for long-term policy success.
Dive into our full report to learn how these guarantees could work to fit into a vision for a stronger, more inclusive higher-ed system.
These materials have been prepared for informational purposes only and are not legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Internet subscribers and online readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel.