University of Washington’s “Husky Promise” for Low-Income Students Will Provide Scholarship Grants to 20 Percent of Its Undergraduates

The University of Washington has joined the growing list of colleges and universities that are increasing financial aid for low-income students. The recently announced “Husky Promise” will cover scholarship grants to students who come from families whose income is below 65 percent of the state median income. Currently, this would be for families with incomes below $46,500.

But the University of Washington grant program will cover only tuition and fees and not room and board. Low-income students will have to live at home or find other financial aid resources to cover room and board expenses.

The University of Washington estimates that about 5,000 students will be eligible for the Husky Promise grants, about 20 percent of all undergraduate students. There are currently about 825 black undergraduates at the flagship state university. They make up about 3 percent of all students on campus.

Copyright © 2006. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.