Carnegie Mellon University Launches Pathway Program

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has announced the CMU Pathway Program, an initiative to provide significant financial relief to undergraduates from families with lower incomes, starting in the 2025-2026 academic year. Under this program, students from families earning less than $75,000 annually will receive free tuition, while those from families earning less than $100,000 will be able to attend without federal student loans. The program applies to new and returning students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and enrolled at CMU's Pittsburgh campus. This initiative is part of CMU's broader efforts to expand access and affordability, having increased its financial aid budget by over 86% in the past decade. CMU President Farnam Jahanian emphasized that financial barriers should not prevent talented students from attending the university. The program is a continuation of CMU's commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for U.S. undergraduates.