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EMU Promise Grant increases access for families earning below $75K

After a full day of classes at EMU, Kevin Garcia clocks in at 5 p.m. for his eight-hour shift at George鈥檚 Inc., a poultry plant in Harrisonburg. By the time he gets home, it鈥檚 1:30 a.m. and he鈥檚 eager to get some much-needed sleep. In less than seven hours, he鈥檒l be back on campus bright and early for his 8 a.m. class.

The hardworking, indefatigable first-year student emigrated from Cuba three years ago to join his family in Harrisonburg. He graduated from EMU鈥檚 renowned Intensive English Program (IEP) this spring. When he learned he could transfer 15 credits from his IEP classes to his college degree and that he would receive the EMU Promise Grant, which fully covers the tuition costs for eligible students, he knew his future belonged at EMU.

The biology and Spanish double major, whose full-time job helps support his family with their expenses, said his parents both graduated from college in Cuba. 鈥淭hey had an expectation that I needed to go to college, as well,鈥� said Garcia, who is interested in the emerging and rapidly expanding field of epigenetics. 鈥淲ithout the Promise Grant, that wouldn鈥檛 be possible.鈥�

Garcia is one of 76 first- and second-year students at EMU who have access to an exceptional, tuition-free college education thanks to the EMU Promise Grant. The initiative is open to Virginia residents whose adjusted gross family incomes are below $75,000. It is for first-time, full-time undergraduate students. See checklist below for more eligibility criteria.听

Checklist: Who is eligible? You meet the basic criteria for EMU Promise Grant eligibility if: 鈽怸ou file the (include EMU), and we receive a FAFSA report with a valid as determined by Federal Student Aid. 鈽怸ou are a first-time, full-time (12 to 18 credit hours per semester) undergraduate student admitted to a degree-seeking program. Those pursuing second degrees are not eligible. 鈽怸our family鈥檚 2024 federal income tax returns reflects an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $75,000 or less. Visit for information about how FAFSA defines family. 鈽怸ou are a resident of Virginia who is eligible for , and you complete the VTAG application prior to the Sept. 15 deadline.听 Students who maintain eligibility can receive the EMU Promise Grant for all four years. For more details about eligibility and a sample of frequently asked questions, visit .

The EMU Promise Grant covers 100 percent of all remaining tuition costs after state, federal, and institutional grants or scholarships have been awarded. It does not cover any fees or living expenses.

Now in its second year, the tuition-free initiative continues to tackle systemic barriers by offering more financial aid, in alignment with EMU鈥檚 2023-28 strategic plan, Pathways of Promise: Preparing Tomorrow鈥檚 Unifying Leaders.

Troy Martin, director of financial aid for EMU, said that raising the income threshold for Promise Grant eligibility (it was previously set at $65,000) ensures that a college education at EMU is accessible to more students in Virginia than ever before. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want money to stand in the way of a student choosing to attend EMU,鈥� he said. 

鈥淲e have lots of prospective students who show promise, and our promise is to help them fulfill their promise,鈥� Martin added. 鈥淲e offer a transformative education for these students and allow them to achieve their educational goals and dreams in a setting that will support them every step of the way.鈥�

While there is no deadline to apply for the EMU Promise Grant, the deadline for submitting a VTAG application is Sept. 15, 2026.

For more information about the EMU Promise Grant, visit .

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Let Braydon Hoover, vice president of enrollment & marketing, walk you through the EMU Promise Grant in the video below.