UVM expands tuition-free program for Vermonters, discounts for New Englanders
September 15, 2026 | By Waterbury Roundabout
UVM President Marlene Tromp gives her State of the University address at the Davis Center on Aug. 25. Photo courtesy of UVM
The University of Vermont recently announced that it has expanded access to UVM Promise, its zero-tuition program for Vermont students.
Starting in fall 2027, all admitted students from households with annual income of up to $125,000 may attend the university tuition-free.
“Affordability isn't used as a buzzword at UVM; it's a commitment we keep renewing,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Jay Jacobs.
UVM President Marlene Tromp. Photo courtesy of UVM
Since the program was introduced, the parental income qualifying level has more than doubled. In fall 2023, Vermont students from households with income up to $60,000 were guaranteed to pay no tuition or comprehensive fees. That limit has increased each year since and currently is $100,000.
Jacobs noted that increasing the program threshold to $125,000 next year will mean that the majority of Vermont families will be able to send their student to the state's flagship university with tuition and fees fully covered.
“As a land-grant institution and Vermont's only comprehensive research institution, ensuring that a world-class education stays within reach for the Vermonters who count on us isn't just a priority; it's central to who we are,” Jacobs said.
UVM Promise covers tuition and fees using federal, state and other secured grants and scholarships. Eligibility is determined annually based on the student’s parental Adjusted Gross Income as reported on each year's FAFSA.
UVM President Marlene Tromp announced the expanded program at her first State of the University address at the Dudley H. Davis Center last week.
“At a time of financial challenges — and especially because of those financial challenges — we have to be cognizant of the people of Vermont that we serve. So we’re finding new ways to get more of those Vermont students through the door,” she said.
UVM also offers free tuition to Vermonters through the Green & Gold Scholarship, an academic merit scholarship offered to the most academically talented rising high school senior at every eligible Vermont secondary school, and Vermont residents attending select border schools.
Also last week, UVM announced that it will offer discounted tuition next fall to eligible first-year and transfer students from New England states who enroll in select majors.
Under the new Regional Tuition Break program, qualifying students from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island who enroll in one of 31 majors will pay an estimated tuition of $30,240, a discount of more than 35% below UVM’s standard out-of-state tuition rate.
The program will make a UVM education significantly more accessible for students across New England who are looking to pursue studies in education, agriculture, the environment, and public service, Jacobs said.
Nearly a third of all UVM majors are included in the program, including all majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Science, the College of Education and Social Services and the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.
The program expands on an existing discount program for students in New England, the announcement noted. UVM officials also stressed that the tuition discount would not preclude students from being considered for financial aid and scholarship support.
