Washington State Cuts Private University Student Financial Aid

The state legislature failed to pass a bill that would have prevented a 33% reduction in tuition awards for students attending private universities.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 7:07pm

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This fall, students attending private universities in Washington state who receive state financial aid will see their tuition awards reduced by nearly a third. Though a bill was introduced to prevent this cut, it did not receive a vote in the state House before the legislative session ended. The reduction in aid will mean fewer students in Washington will earn a college degree, according to the president of the Independent Colleges of Washington.

Why it matters

The cut in state financial aid for students at private universities is seen as unfair and as limiting educational opportunities, especially for lower-income students. While students at public research universities will continue to have their tuition fully covered by state grants, the reduced aid for private university students represents a significant financial burden.

The details

Last year, the Washington state legislature passed a bill to reduce financial aid for students attending private four-year not-for-profit institutions. Their aid was cut to 50% of the average awards granted to students attending public research universities. A bill was introduced this year to restore the funding, but it did not receive a House floor vote before the legislative session ended. The bill would have changed the maximum award amount to 90% of the average tuition award to students attending public regional universities, which is lower than the original proposal that tied the funds to public research universities.

  • The financial aid cuts will take effect this fall 2026 semester.
  • The bill to restore the funding was introduced in the 2026 legislative session but did not pass.

The players

Terri Standish-Kuon

President and CEO of the Independent Colleges of Washington.

T'wina Nobles

Democratic state senator who sponsored the bill to restore the financial aid funding.

Juleana Salazar-Sandoval

A student at Pacific Lutheran University and recipient of the Washington College Bound scholarship.

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What they’re saying

“Without the scholarship, I would not be able to afford or continue my education at PLU.”

— Juleana Salazar-Sandoval, Student, Pacific Lutheran University

“It's profoundly disappointing to have come this far, only to lose the battle. The Legislature has ensured that fewer students in Washington will earn a college degree.”

— Terri Standish-Kuon, President and CEO, Independent Colleges of Washington

“The cut in scholarship funding represents less than 0.1% of the state-funded operating budget and would have more than paid for itself with the taxes and other contributions these college graduates will make in Washington.”

— Terri Standish-Kuon, President and CEO, Independent Colleges of Washington

What’s next

The Independent Colleges of Washington have stated they will continue to prioritize making higher education more accessible for students attending private, not-for-profit colleges and will work to bring the legislation back in a future session.

The takeaway

This cut in state financial aid for private university students represents a significant financial burden that could limit educational opportunities, especially for lower-income students. While the bill to restore the funding did not pass this year, there is bipartisan support and momentum to address this issue in the future.