Cal State Dominguez Hills offers free tuition through financial aid

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Starting this fall, CSU Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is offering four years of tuition-free education to first-time college students and two years tuition-free to transfer students, the university announced Tuesday.

“CSUDH’s mission is rooted in affordability and accessibility, and the Toro Tuition Pledge builds on our longstanding work of expanding opportunity to ensure every student can succeed,” said Interim President Mary Ann Villarreal. “This effort reaffirms our commitment to transforming students’ lives and economic prospects.” 

The free tuition initiative is available to California students who qualify for Pell Grants or who have an equivalent Student Aid Index. Eligible students must enroll in a full schedule of classes and maintain satisfactory academic progress, among other requirements.

Mandatory campus fees at CSUDH are already among the lowest in the Cal State system, rising just 10% over the past decade in inflation-adjusted terms. Basic tuition at the campus this year is $1,869 per semester.

The majority of students at the campus receive substantial financial aid. The new program covers tuition and mandatory fees but not housing, parking, textbooks or other costs associated with enrollment.