5 things to know about Cleveland State’s free-tuition guarantee and Feb. 15 deadline

MetroCleveland State University's block letters are in the Student Center.(Laura Hancock/cleveland.com)By Michael Johnson, cleveland.comcleveland.com Express DeskCLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland State University’s new tuition guarantee could cover remaining tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying Ohio freshmen beginning in fall 2027, but students seeking priority consideration face a Feb. 15 deadline.Missing that date does not automatically make a student ineligible. After Feb. 15, however, assistance depends on whether Cleveland State Commitment funding remains available.These are five takeaways from the original article, which examined the program’s deadlines, eligibility rules and coverage.1. Students need to complete key steps by Feb. 15Incoming freshmen seeking priority consideration must complete Cleveland State’s admission requirements and submit the 2027-28 FAFSA by Feb. 15, 2027.Students must include CSU’s federal school code, 003032, so the university receives their financial-aid information.Those who finish after the deadline may still qualify, but only if program money remains.2. Some students also will face financial-aid verificationCSU may require students to verify information reported on the FAFSA, including tax information or other documentation.The university identifies Feb. 15 as the priority deadline for admission and FAFSA filing but does not clearly state whether requested verification documents also must be completed by then.Students selected for verification should check their financial-aid status and confirm applicable deadlines with CSU.3. The deadline returns every yearThe Cleveland State Commitment can continue for up to eight consecutive semesters if students remain eligible.Returning recipients must file a FAFSA by Feb. 15 each year, complete verification when required, maintain at least a 2.0 GPA and remain enrolled full time in a degree program.Household adjusted gross income also must remain at or below $125,000.4. “Free tuition” does not mean every college expense is coveredThe Commitment is a last-dollar program.Federal and state grants, scholarships and other qualifying aid are applied first. CSU then covers remaining eligible tuition and mandatory fees.Housing, meal plans, books, transportation, course-specific fees and other personal expenses are excluded.5. The first group has additional eligibility requirementsFor fall 2027, students must graduate from high school in spring 2027 with at least a 3.0 GPA, be Ohio residents and enroll as full-time, degree-seeking freshmen.Full-time enrollment means at least 12 credit hours each eligible semester.Transfer students and current CSU students are not eligible for the new guarantee, although they may qualify for other financial aid.For the first cohort, the 2027-28 FAFSA uses 2025 federal tax information. Families whose finances have changed substantially since then may request a special-circumstance review, although CSU’s published rules do not specify whether such an adjustment changes Commitment eligibility.Michael Johnson brings nearly four decades of newspaper experience in reporting, editing, newsroom leadership, page design and digital publishing. He has led daily and weekly newsrooms in Pennsylvania,...