The Reed Promise increases access to higher education for students across the country.
April 9, 2025
Press Release
PORTLAND, OR – Reed College is proud to announce the expansion of its transformative commitment to access and affordability. Beginning fall 2026, Reed will offer tuition-free education to newly admitted U.S. undergraduate students whose families earn less than $100,000.
This new initiative builds on Reed’s enduring promise to meet 100 percent of every student’s demonstrated financial need, reinforcing the college’s long-standing commitment to ensuring that a world-class education is within reach for qualified students from all financial backgrounds.
The Reed Promise initially launched in December with a focus on students from Oregon, Washington, and transfer students from across the United States.
This expansion of the initiative reaffirms Reed College’s dedication to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and intellectually rigorous community by eliminating financial barriers that may have previously hindered talented students from pursuing their dreams at one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges.
“At Reed, we believe in the power of higher education to change lives,” said Reed College President Audrey Bilger. “We like to say, ‘the world needs more Reedies.’ By expanding the Reed Promise nationwide, we will be able to transform even more lives and provide greater access to our vibrant academic program and to our intellectually curious and creative community.”
Key Features of the Reed Promise:
- Tuition-Free Education for Families Earning Under $100,000: Reed College will cover the full cost of tuition for all undergraduate students from families with a total annual income below $100,000 with typical assets starting in fall 2026.
- Continued Commitment to Meeting 100% of Demonstrated Need: In addition to the tuition-free benefit, Reed continues to offer generous financial aid to most families for all four years.
- Long-Term Commitment to Affordability: Reed College is committed to making higher education affordable for future generations of students.
“As the college with the most geographically diverse enrollment in the country, Reed has a commitment to making our education accessible to every student whose curiosity knows no bounds,” said Milyon Trulove, Reed College Vice President and Dean of Admission & Financial Aid. “The Reed Promise exemplifies our dedication to any high school or transfer student who loves learning while being in community with others.”
Learn more about the Reed Promise
For more information, contact:
Sheena McFarland, Chief Communications Officer, Reed College
smcfarland@reed.edu; Cell: 801-510-5567
About Reed College
Founded in 1908 in southeast Portland, Oregon, Reed College is a coeducational, independent liberal arts and sciences college. Referred to as one of the most intellectual colleges in the country, Reed is known for its high standards of scholarly practice, creative thinking, and engaged citizenship.
Reed College is devoted to the intrinsic value of intellectual pursuit and is governed by the highest standards of scholarly practice, critical thought, and creativity. Its undergraduate program of study, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, is demanding and intense and balances breadth of knowledge across the curriculum with depth of knowledge in a particular field of study. The goal of a Reed education is that students learn and demonstrate rigor and independence in their habits of thought, inquiry, and expression.