Wayne State Extends Financial Aid Support to Combat Economic Challenges Faced by...

Wayne State Extends Financial Aid Support to Combat Economic Challenges Faced
by Students, Out-of-Work Alumni

Strong positive response to financial aid stimulus program prompts Wayne State
to extend deadline to June 30, 2009

50 percent tuition reduction offered to alumni or their spouses who have lost
jobs

DETROIT, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In March 2009, Wayne State
University rolled out an unprecedented financial aid stimulus program to
enable students to withstand financial hardship resulting from the downturn in
Michigan's economy. Strong response to the program has prompted university
officials to extend the eligibility deadline from April 30 to June 30, 2009.
In addition, the university has announced it will offer a 50 percent reduction
in tuition for up to two classes per semester (for two semesters) to alumni or
spouses of alumni who have lost a full-time job within six months of the time
they enroll for classes. The intent of the two temporary programs is to
alleviate some of the financial stress faced by students and prospective
students, and help facilitate the retooling of Michigan's workplace through
access to higher education.

The financial aid stimulus plan, approved in March by the Wayne State Board of
Governors, instituted a one-time doubling of financial aid the university
offers to qualified full-time freshmen, as well as sophomores, juniors and
seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Funded through
a re-allocation of resources and implemented in fall 2009 to almost 8,000
students, the stimulus program is designed to:

-- Increase need-based financial aid for all qualified students by at
least
50 percent;
-- Cover a full year of tuition for freshmen who require financial
assistance;
-- Double the amount of need-based grants over a four-year period for all
undergraduates who maintain a 3.0 grade point average or above;
-- Increase the merit-based Wayne State Scholars award by one-third, or
$2,000/year.

-- Enable more than 4,000 students to pay their entire four-year tuition
bill.

Alumni seeking to take advantage of the 50 percent tuition reduction program
must present verifiable proof of job loss for themselves or their spouse. The
tuition reduction can be applied to two classes per semester for two
semesters. This program will enable Wayne State alumni to begin educational or
training programs that can help them build stronger backgrounds for their job
search, update their field of knowledge, or refocus their careers.

Said Jay Noren, president of Wayne State University, "We are looking at a
number of creative ways to help students and alumni get the education and
training they need to be successful in their careers and help contribute to
the reinvention of our economy."

As one of the world's top urban research universities, Wayne State seeks to
ensure access to higher education for all qualified students. Even before the
creation of the March 2009 financial aid stimulus program, Wayne State
returned 27 cents of every tuition dollar to students in the form of financial
aid. The June 30, 2009 extension for eligibility to participate in the
financial aid stimulus program reaffirms Wayne State's commitment to
accessible, affordable education for its students.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research university offering more
than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000
students.

SOURCE Wayne State University

Francine Wunder of Wayne State University, +1-313-577-2150, fwunder@wayne.edu