Under Rice's expanded plan, students from families earning less than $100,000 annually will receive full coverage of tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board.gettyRice University announced Monday that it was expanding its major financial aid program and would, beginning with students entering in fall 2027, offer free tuition to those from families earning up to $200,000 annually.Under the expanded Rice Investment program:Students from families earning between $100,000 and $200,000 annually will receive free tuition.Students from families earning less than $100,000 annually will receive full coverage of tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board.Rice will continue to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all families without requiring student loans.Previously, the program had covered tuition, mandatory fees, room and board for students from families earning $75,000 or less, and it had provided free tuition to students from families earning between $75,000 and $140,000.“This is a defining moment for Rice University and for the future of higher education,” President Reginald DesRoches said, in a news release. “Talent exists in every community and across every socioeconomic background. Because of the extraordinary generosity of our alumni and supporters, more students than ever will have access to the life-changing opportunities a Rice education provides."Des Roches said that philanthropy had made the expansion possible, adding that "continued investment in our students will ensure future generations can learn, discover and lead without financial barriers standing in the way.”“Rice has always been shaped by people who believe in opening doors for others,” said Stephen Bayer, vice president for development and alumni relations. “What makes this moment so powerful is the way our community is coming together with purpose and conviction. We are deeply grateful to our forward-looking donors, alumni, parents and friends who understand what is at stake for our students and their families and who care profoundly about Rice’s legacy of affordability.”MORE FOR YOUThe announcement came during a period when Rice has seen substantial growth. Since 2020, its undergraduate population has grown by about 25% and its faculty has increased by approximately 20%.Once largely confined to elite private universities with high sticker prices and large endowments, free tuition offers have become increasingly common. In fact, the practice has turned into something of a tuition arms race at prestigious schools and major public institutions. While their eligibility thresholds differ, most of the recent plans have taken the form of institutions extending the income criteria of their existing financial aid programs.Between 2024 and 2025, MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Texas, Brandeis University, the University of Utah, Smith College, Bryn Mawr College the Stevens Institute of Technology Wake Forest University, Emory University and The Ohio State University all rolled out their versions of free college tuition. In 2026, Yale University announced it was expanding its financial aid program and would offer free tuition to entering undergraduates from families with annual incomes below $200,000 and cover all the costs of attendance for those from families with incomes below $100,000.Two months later, the University of Notre Dame enhanced its undergraduate financial aid program so that students from families with annual income below $150,000 would have all their tuition costs covered starting in the 2026-27 academic year. Families with income below $200,000 will receive enough need-based aid to pay for half the cost of tuition.In May, the University of Chicago unveiled one of the most generous aid packages, guaranteeing free tuition starting in the fall of 2027 for undergraduate students from families with annual income less than $250,000. As part of its plan, Chicago promised it would cover tuition plus the costs of housing, meals and other fees for students from families with income less than $125,000.