Ohio’s Franciscan University said on Monday it will cover the remainder of tuition costs, after scholarships and grants have been applied, for the fall 2020 semester for all incoming full-time undergraduate students enrolled in its on-campus programs, considering the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
This plan is part of the private Catholic university’s COVID-19 response plan, Step in Faith. The university said families for whom tuition payments are not a hardship have the opportunity, along with other benefactors, to contribute to the Step in Faith Fund, to help students. The fund will also assist returning students who are experiencing significant financial hardship due to the pandemic.
“We’ve heard from many students whose concerns over the pandemic are making the decision to leave home for college more difficult,” said university president Father Dave Pivonka, in a statement. “Also, many families and students have seen their ability to pay for college evaporate due to the economic impact of the coronavirus.”
