After a decade, Iowa State to end ‘ISU 4U Promise’ free tuition program
By Jodi Long
Click here for updates on this story
AMES, Iowa (KCCI) — Iowa State University is ending a program that promised free tuition to some Des Moines students, citing funding concerns and uncertainty about sustaining the effort long term.
The ISU 4U Promise Program, a partnership between Iowa State and Des Moines Public Schools, was designed to make college more accessible and affordable to students at King and Moulton Elementary Schools. Students who attended either of those schools, graduated from high school, and were accepted to Iowa State could attend tuition-free. The schools are among the district’s most diverse and are located in one of the city’s poorest ZIP codes.
The program helped first-generation college students like sisters Cyntechy Boduro and Promise Barford, who said the scholarship made college possible and helped them thrive at Iowa State, where they have earned academic honors.
“It’s the reason why I’m even sitting here,” said Barford, a freshman studying immigration law. “I really don’t know how I would have funded college for myself if I didn’t have this scholarship.”
Laura Jolly, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, the department that oversees the program for the university, said Iowa State has contributed more than $1 million toward tuition awards since 2015, but budget pressures led the university to reconsider its ongoing investment.
“We had to step back and think about, is this something we can sustain over time? The environment was uncertain, and I think it remains uncertain,” explained Jolly.
Since the program’s inception a decade ago, eleven ISU 4U scholars have graduated from Iowa State, 33 are currently enrolled. Over the next five years, the program will transition to a scholarship opportunity before the initiative fully dissolves. Iowa State said its transition plan aims to equip teachers and school leaders with tools to build on the ISU 4U model as the university steps back from direct support.
“Our hope is that the relationship and the things we have put in place will sustain that momentum,” said Jolly.
Students enrolled at King and Moulton prior to the 2025 – 2026 school years will remain eligible to receive tuition awards if they choose to enroll at Iowa State.
Starting this school year through 2029, new students at Moulton and King elementary schools will be eligible for an Iowa state scholarship of up to $6,000 over four years. The university says students will also need to complete FAFSA to see if they qualify for other forms of financial assistance.
Former state Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, who helped create the program with former Iowa State President Steven Leath, said promise-style programs can help break cycles of generational poverty by giving children the tools and expectation to pursue higher education. He warned that losing such programs could make college harder to reach for marginalized students who need additional support.
“Should this program go away? No. Do I understand the college’s position? Do I understand the climate? I do, but I also understand the investment in our children,” says Abdul-Samad.
The move comes as colleges nationwide face enrollment pressure and shifting financial aid dynamics that can affect accessibility and affordability. In Iowa, four other promise programs remain, including Drake University’s Bulldog Promise, which offers free tuition to eligible Iowa students based on academic performance and combines federal and state grants with donor support, university officials said. Nearly 60 students were part of the university’s inaugural Bulldog Promise program. The university anticipates that number to “rise dramatically” next school year. Drake President Marty Martin says its Promise program is in an effort to attract and retain Iowa students.
“We’re putting various pots of money together to make this work for the students and make it work for the university,” says Martin. “These students are going to graduate with that Drake degree, and the vast majority will choose to stay here and make a lifetime contribution to our community.”
The deadline to apply for the Bulldog Promise for the 2026 – 2027 is March 1.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.