In a surprising move, The Cooper Union has announced a return to tuition-free education for all undergraduate seniors within each of the next four years starting with its Class of 2025. The reversal comes ten years after school trustees formally voted to do away with its free mandate for the first time as a result of financial strain. The New York Times was first to report on the announcement, which follows a $6 million grant from three Cooper alumni.

The Cooper Union says it is on track to be free to all students by the 2028-29 academic year. Current costs for undergraduates hover at $44,550. However, the school is prioritizing the ten-year plan. Current first-, second-, and third-year students will receive full-tuition scholarships in their senior years under it. In a statement, outgoing President Laura Sparks said progress on the issue "[reaffirms] the ideals that have been foundational to this institution since Peter Cooper opened its doors in 1859."

The return to free tuition began in 2018 with a push from then-students and alumni to amplify a debate around debt and the cost of higher education in the arts and architectural studies. Since then, tuition has remained flat for six consecutive years even as higher education costs have faced dramatic increases. Over $114 million in funds have been raised to support these initiatives, and students are currently paying on average only 15% of the full tuition sticker price.  

“When President Sparks joined us in 2017, I was serving on the board’s Free Education Committee, and together with her and then-Board Chair Rachel Warren, we immediately set about the work of determining whether a path back to free would be possible," Interim President Malcolm King, who also served as the board's chair, stated in praise of the leadership Sparks has demonstrated since that time. 

"A year later," King continued. "the Board adopted the Plan to Return to Full-Tuition Scholarships. Since then, we have surpassed the financial goals across the first six years of the plan, and Laura has been central to that momentum. We have work to do over the next four years to ensure we continue to meet our financial targets, however, the goal of restoring free tuition for all is within our reach."