WSU expands Wayne State Guarantee to include eligible transfer students

Beginning in fall 2026, Wayne State University will broaden its groundbreaking Wayne State Guarantee tuition pledge program to include eligible transfer students, marking the second time in a year the program has expanded to increase access to higher education for Michigan students.

Under the expanded effort, the Wayne State Guarantee will cover the full cost of transfer students' tuition and standard fees with a combination of federal, state and other Wayne State University scholarships and grants. The guarantee is renewable for up to two years for transfer students.

"At Wayne State, we believe talent is universal and opportunity should be as well," said Wayne State President Richard A. Bierschbach. "Expanding the Wayne State Guarantee to include transfer students reflects our deep commitment to creating clear pathways to a bachelor's degree.

Transfer students bring determination, experience and resilience to our campus, and they deserve the same assurance that cost will not stand in the way of completing their education. This expansion strengthens our promise to Michigan families and reinforces Wayne State's role as a national leader in access and social mobility."

"Expanding the Wayne State Guarantee to transfer students removes one of the most difficult financial barriers to a four-year degree that our students face, and that is something worth celebrating," said Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Charles Cotton. "This expansion makes the Wayne State Guarantee one of the most accessible and comprehensive transfer-focused affordability efforts in Michigan, ensuring that financial circumstances do not obstruct students' academic goals. By extending the guarantee, Wayne State is widening pathways to a bachelor's degree and advancing educational opportunity statewide."

To qualify for the Wayne State Guarantee, transfer students must have a minimum 3.25 GPA and be eligible for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.

The new initiative has the potential to benefit thousands of transfer students from both community colleges and four-year institutions throughout the state and beyond. Last year, Wayne State welcomed more than 1,370 new transfer students from nearly 220 institutions. Seventy-five percent transferred from community colleges; 73% were enrolled full time, and 49% were first-generation college students.

Wayne State boasts a 70.2% graduation rate for full-time, four-year transfer students - significantly higher than the 55% statewide completion rate for Michigan community college transfers.

"Wayne State's outcomes demonstrate what transfer students can achieve when affordability and student success are aligned," said Catherine Kay, senior director of financial aid at the university. "Expanding the Wayne State Guarantee builds on that momentum by giving more students the financial security they need to earn their degree."

Last year, Michigan's only public, urban research university expanded the program by raising the eligibility threshold for its Wayne State Guarantee tuition pledge from $70,000 to $80,000.