Two universities in the Southeast are announcing significant expansions in financial aid that will allow countless students to attend tuition-free beginning Fall 2026.

Wake Forest's Gateway for North Carolina Students

Wake Forest University's Wait Chapel
Wake Forest University's Wait Chapel Davis Turner/Getty Images

Wake Forest University unveiled its North Carolina Gateway to Wake Forest University program, which guarantees tuition-free admission for undergraduates from North Carolina families earning less than $200,000 annually. The new policy kicks in for students admitted in Fall 2026.

  • For family incomes under $100,000, financial aid will cover both tuition and standard living expenses.
  • For incomes between $100,000 and $200,000, students will pay only for living expenses and applicable fees, with tuition fully covered.
  • Families earning between $200,000 and $300,000 will be eligible for aid covering 50% of their tuition.
  • The policy applies only to undergraduate students from North Carolina.

Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente said the initiative reflects the university's "deep commitment to students from our home state," adding that she once benefited from a Pell grant and understands firsthand when private colleges can feel out of reach.

The university will continue to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens, regardless of income.

Emory's "Advantage Plus" Tuition-Free Expansion

Emory University campus in Atlanta
Young people are seen on the Emory University campus in Atlanta, Georgia on October 14, 2022. Elijah Nouvelage/AFP

Emory University is expanding its financial aid program with Emory Advantage Plus, which will make tuition free for all domestic undergraduate students whose families earn $200,000 or less per year, starting in Fall 2026. The policy includes both new and returning undergraduate students who are eligible for need-based aid.

Additional key points:

  • Emory will continue to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for its domestic undergraduates.
  • Over the next four years, the university's commitment through this enhancement will exceed $1 billion in financial aid.
  • Interim President Leah Ward Sears emphasized that this is aimed at ensuring that deserving students can attend without having cost be a barrier. "Offering free tuition to every student whose family income is $200,000 or less is about leadership," she said.

By tying financial aid directly to family income, both Wake Forest and Emory are signaling that college affordability is no longer just a talking point but a measurable commitment. For students across North Carolina and the nation, the message is clear: the path to a degree at two of the South's most respected universities is now wider, more accessible, and far less burdened by cost.