To: The Wellesley College Community
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: Announcing the Wellesley Tuition Promise
Date: September 9, 2026
I’m pleased to welcome you to the 2026–27 academic year with exciting news.
It is with great pride that I share that today Wellesley is announcing a bold, breakthrough commitment that will expand access and opportunity for more Wellesley students: the Wellesley Tuition Promise.
Starting in fall 2027, Wellesley will be tuition-free for U.S. students with family incomes of up to $200,000 with typical assets. This represents a significant increase from our current policy of being tuition-free for students with family incomes of up to $150,000.
We believe investing in financial aid is essential to Wellesley’s excellence. Wellesley is one of only a handful of colleges to admit U.S. students based on academic achievement, without consideration of family income, and we meet the full calculated need of all admitted students, both U.S. and international. The Wellesley Tuition Promise builds on this commitment to accessibility and affordability.
Since its founding, Wellesley has been dedicated to the idea that educating women of all socioeconomic backgrounds is essential for social progress and democracy. For the current academic year, nearly 60% of Wellesley students have been awarded a total of $86.5 million in financial aid. The average grant award for 2025–26 was $70,519.
We have been able to uphold this commitment thanks in large part to generations of alumnae who have given to the College so that others could have access to a transformative Wellesley education—investing in the students of today and tomorrow. Eighty percent of financial aid funding comes from our endowment, which reflects this generous legacy.
I want to thank our teams in the Office of Admission and in Student Financial Services for their critical work educating students and families about Wellesley and recruiting such exceptional applicants.
I am also grateful to our alumnae for their enduring support, and to our entire community for continuing to educate women who will make a difference in the world—a mission that is more important now than ever.