Seniors surprised with free tuition at The Cooper Union

NEW YORK (PIX11) – Seniors will study completely tuition-free at The Cooper Union, the Manhattan school announced on the students’ first day back to school. 

Wednesday's announcement came as a complete surprise to the students. Current seniors will first receive funds from The Cooper Union for their fall tuition payments, then won't pay any spring tuition. 

It’s not just current seniors who will benefit. For the next four years, all graduating seniors will have their tuition completely covered by scholarships. 

It’s a giant step towards the school’s ultimate goal of making the school completely tuition-free for all students by the 2028-2029 school year, representatives of the school said. 

“We are so encouraged that Cooper is moving steadily toward tuition-free undergraduate education for all,” said alumnus George Reeves and his wife Ross Wisnewski, who have made millions of dollars in donations to the school. “It is an honor to be a part of this investment in the future and a joy to witness the impact of doing so.”

The scholarships are primarily funded by Reeves and Wisnewski, alumnus John Manuck and his wife Mary Manuck, and a third unnamed graduate of Cooper. Combined, the three alumni have recently donated around $6 million, according to a representative of the school.

The Cooper Union used to be completely free, and in 2018, the school announced its 10-year plan to drop students’ tuition once again. As it stands, over half the student body is already on a full scholarship and undergraduates pay, on average, less than 15% of the school’s full tuition. 

"Thanks to the generosity of three extraordinary alumni donors, we are removing a major financial burden for our graduating classes and reaffirming the ideals that have been foundational to this institution since Peter Cooper opened its doors in 1859,” said President Laura Sparks.