Marshall University announced Thursday, Feb. 13, the expansion of its Marshall For All program, offering tuition-free education to qualifying West Virginia freshmen, starting fall 2025.
The new Marshall For All: Tuition-Free WV initiative is already in place and will apply to all incoming freshmen who qualify. Starting fall 2025, the program will cover the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees for West Virginia residents with a family income of $65,000 or less.
Brad D. Smith, the president of Marshall University, emphasized the program’s importance to Marshall in the announcement.
“We believe that every student deserves access to a high-quality education, regardless of their financial background,” he said. “With this expansion, we’re eliminating tuition as a barrier for even more students, helping them build a future of success — without the weight of student loan debt.”
Jerry Ross, the vice president of enrollment, credits Marshall’s growth to the Marshall For All program. The latest expansion aims to reduce student loan debt and make higher education more accessible. With a goal of having all Marshall students graduate debt-free by 2037, the university continues to prioritize affordability and student success.
Ross highlighted the long-term vision for Marshall University’s affordability initiatives.
“This expansion is really an exciting day to offer up more opportunities for West Virginia residents to come to Marshall University with little or no debt,” Ross said, “and we’re growing that program. We’re still on this pathway to eventually have all students graduate Marshall with zero loan debt; we’re still working on that… But we know that program will take time to continue ramping up, and we wanted to provide another option to help West Virginia residents get on a pathway to a college degree.”
The program will cover tuition and mandatory fees for all four years as long as the student remains in good standing. Students will still be responsible for housing, meals, books and other personal expenses.
The Marshall For All program has two branches: Debt-Free and Tuition-Free WV. Debt-Free, which has been at Marshall for three years, selects 100 students each year and is open to both West Virginia residents and students from nearby metro areas. Tuition-Free WV is for first-time freshmen from West Virginia whose family income meets specific requirements. To qualify, students simply need to apply to Marshall University, be accepted and complete the FAFSA for the upcoming academic year. Eligible students will be automatically considered.
Marshall University aims to continue expanding financial education accessibility with its Marshall For All program, helping make higher education more affordable for West Virginia residents.
Bethany Jarrell can be contacted at [email protected].
