Willamette University will cover full tuition for Oregon students whose families earn $80,000 or less a year, starting in fall 2027.

The private university in Salem announced the Oregon Access Scholarship on Thursday, Sept. 3. Willamette estimates roughly half of all Oregon families meet the income threshold, a figure that spans households across Washington County.

The scholarship covers tuition at Willamette College and the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Portland. At current rates, Willamette's annual tuition is $56,640. The scholarship does not cover room, board or fees, which add about $18,000 to the annual bill.

There is no cap on recipients. William Mullen, Willamette's vice president for enrollment management, said the program can scale as long as seats are available. He told KGW the goal is to help more families look at Willamette and say, "'You know what? We can do this. This is feasible.'"

The scholarship fills the gap between tuition and what federal Pell Grants and Oregon Opportunity Grants already cover. Student loans do not count as grant aid in the calculation.

Who qualifies

Students must be Oregon residents and meet several deadlines. The admission application is due Nov. 1, 2026, with all supporting materials due by Nov. 13. The 2027–2028 FAFSA or ORSAA (Oregon Student Aid Application) must reach Willamette by Dec. 1. The FAFSA opens Oct. 1, 2026.

Beyond the income limit, applicants must also have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of zero or less. The university says most families under the income threshold will meet that requirement, though certain uncommon circumstances may produce different results.

The scholarship does not change Willamette's admission standards. Both first-year and transfer students can apply, and the award is renewable for up to eight semesters.

About 40% of current Willamette students come from Oregon, according to Mullen. Full eligibility details are on Willamette's scholarship page. The FAFSA opens Thursday, Oct. 1.