EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University has taken another strong step in its commitment to helping its students succeed, with plans to award more than $57 million in financial aid during the 2017-18 academic year.

The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents approved the financial aid package of scholarships, awards and grants at its regular meeting Nov. 1.

The total institutional financial aid of $57,080,000 represents an increase of nearly $2.9 million, or 5.3 percent, over the 2016-17 financial aid budget of $54.2 million. During the past seven years, Eastern Michigan has nearly doubled its student financial aid, reflecting its central mission to help Michigan students and their families in a challenging economic environment.

Freshman enrollment growth

The increase in financial aid accompanies continued growth in freshman enrollment at Eastern Michigan. This fall, the University welcomed its third largest entering freshman class in its history, 2,774 students. The entering class continues Eastern’s momentum in recent years, in which the University has grown in enrollment in the face of declining demographic trends for high school seniors in the state of Michigan. Since fall 2010, when the University enrolled a total of 2,002 new freshmen, the entering class has grown by 39 percent.

The class also displays solid academic preparation, further growth of The Honors College and in international students, and it spotlights the strong level of diversity to be found on Eastern’s campus. The average GPA of incoming freshmen is 3.26, up from 3.05 in 2010. Average ACT scores have also risen. This year's freshman class has an average ACT score of 22, trending positively from an average of 21.1 in fall 2010.

The entering freshman class also underscores the continuing level of diversity at Eastern. The number of newly enrolled African American freshmen and Hispanic freshmen, 822, makes up 30 percent of the entering freshman class.

Budget includes $5.8 million for graduate students

The $57.1 million approved financial aid budget includes $40.5 million for undergraduate scholarships, awards and grants; an increase of more than $2 million from this year’s budget; $10.2 million for athletic grants-in-aid, reflecting an increase of about $200,000 from this year’s total; $500,000 for federal and state matches; and nearly $5.8 million for graduate student aid. The budget also includes $200,000 earmarked for the University’s continuing retention initiative.

For more information, visit Financial Aid at Eastern.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. More than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information, visit the University's website.