Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore goes tuition-free for some undergraduate students

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore will go tuition-free for undergraduate students from families earning up to $200,000.

According to the university, the change will allow more than 85% of U.S. households to attend without paying tuition. This only applies to JHU's Homewood campus. 

Students from families that earn up to $100,000 will also receive additional aid to cover other fees and living expenses, meaning families earning more than the median household income of $87,730 can attend for free. 

The new tuition policies will go into effect for current students during the spring 2026 semester, while incoming students will get the offer next fall for the 2026-27 academic year. 

Despite the tuition-free offer, students from households that earn more than $200,000 will still get a financial aid offer to meet 100% of their needs, university officials said. Most students from households earning $250,000 will continue to qualify for financial aid, along with those with an annual income exceeding $250,000, especially those with multiple children in college. 

The changes come after JHU received a $1.8 billion gift from alumnus Michael R. Bloomberg in 2018. 

JHU President Ron Daniels said the offer will aid in "recruiting the best and brightest students to Johns Hopkins, irrespective of their financial wherewithal." 

Students will be considered for the new offer when they apply for financial aid through the university's normal channels. University leaders also said they are aiming to simplify the financial aid process.  Find more information here. 

Between 2018 and 2025, the percentage of low-income students in the first-year class rose from 15.4% to 24.1%, the highest level in the university's history.