ZEROManaging the cost of private college for Iowa students
Tuition Zero is a program from Cornell College that takes the worry out of college tuition for families who qualify for the Iowa Tuition Grant (ITG) which is a state-funded grant for Iowa students who attend a private college or university in the state of Iowa. If you qualify, Cornell will supplement your financial aid package so your tuition bill is $0.00.
Who qualifies for the ITG? Most students with at total family income less than $100,000 who complete the FAFSA will qualify for an ITG.
Straightforward program requirements for Iowa residents
- Apply and be admitted to Cornell College
- File the FAFSA
- Commit to Cornell as a full-time, first-year, residential student by making your admission deposit for fall 2025
Full-time means you are taking a full course load each semester, first-year means this will be your first semester attending college as a full-time student, and residential means that you will be living and dining on campus. Your award will renew at the same rate for each year, up to 4 years, as long as you remain a full-time, residential student in good academic standing.
But the FAFSA is delayed until December this year...
That's not a problem! You can find out if you qualify for the ITG with our Net Price Calculator. Plug your family financials in to do the calculations.
How does the math compare to public schools?
If you plan to stay in-state, you will automatically receive the in-state price break at Iowa's three state universities but no ITG grant. For our comparison, we're using the published cost of attendance* data from the 2024-2025 academic year. (Prices for 2025-2026 are not yet set.)
$16,630
$29,219
$24,695
$23,372
*Cost of attendance is the number you will see on your financial aid documents. It takes into account tuition, housing, dining, fees, books and supplies, and travel to give you a full picture of what to expect to pay for college. These costs can be paid with money saved for college, work while you're in college, or federal student loans you might choose to take. Review Cornell's cost of attendance
Get more information
Your admission counselor is here to help answer your questions about attending Cornell College. Reach out to admission@cornellcollege.edu to get connected with an admission counselor for your area, or look them up online.