University of Georgia Expands First-Generation Scholarship Fund by $35 Million
The expanded fund will cover full tuition for roughly 800 additional first-generation students at UGA's Athens campus starting this fall.
The University of Georgia announced a $35 million expansion of its first-generation student scholarship fund, a move officials say will cover full tuition and fees for roughly 800 additional students at its Athens campus beginning this fall.
The expansion builds on a smaller pilot program launched four years ago that covered about 200 students per year. University leadership says demand for the program has consistently outpaced available funding, with wait lists forming each admissions cycle.
"Every year we've had to turn away qualified students simply because the money ran out," said UGA's Vice President for Enrollment Management. "This expansion means a first-generation student admitted to UGA this fall won't have to weigh their acceptance letter against a financial aid shortfall."
The fund is being financed through a combination of endowment growth, a bond restructuring that freed up operating capital, and a $10 million gift from a coalition of Georgia-based corporate donors focused on workforce development. Recipients will also gain access to a dedicated advising program pairing each student with a faculty mentor and a peer mentor who previously completed the scholarship track.
University data shows first-generation students make up close to 24 percent of UGA's incoming class. Officials say they expect the expanded fund to raise first-generation graduation rates, which currently trail the university average by roughly seven percentage points.
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