Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Canisius University is launching a new scholarship program for prospective students currently living in the City of Buffalo and its surrounding communities.
University President Steve Stoute announced on Thursday the launch of the Canisius Buffalo Promise Scholarship, a new initiative aimed at expanding educational affordability and opportunity to the best and brightest local students of Western New York. The program effectively covers 100% of tuition for up to four years of undergraduate study at the university to eligible admitted students.
Canisius anticipates approximately 800 admitted students will qualify as Buffalo Promise scholars in the fall 2025 pilot year of the program, with a potential savings for students and families of more than $25 million in the first year alone.
Building on this strong start, Canisius projects approximately 4,000 students to qualify for the Buffalo Promise over the next five years, making it the most generous, most ambitious and most comprehensive combined aid program in the university’s history.
"This is our commitment to students and families in Buffalo, and hopefully it helps make a Canisius University education within reach. What we know from the data is that too many families, too many students think, 'We can't afford Canisius,' so they don't even apply. The first step is you can afford Canisius, and you should apply and get to learn who we are and what we do, why we're different, how we can set you on a path to a lifetime of leadership and meaning," President Stoute stated during Thursday's announcement. "If we get students and families to understand that cost is not actually a barrier to this incredibly transformative, high impact educational experience, then I think they will learn as they go throughout the process, the outcomes that we deliver. And we'll be able to help keep students here in Buffalo, in Western New York, which is part of our commitment to helping the city and our state and our region grow economically."
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:
- Apply to Canisius and be admitted through the regular decision process;
- Reside in Buffalo or any adjacent town with a ZIP code beginning with 142--;
- Live in a household with an adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less.
Undergraduate freshman enrolling for fall 2025 need to submit valid applications for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and the New York Tuition Assistance Program by March 1, 2025.
"We know that the more hurdles that students and families have in the application process, the more likely they are not to persist. We saw that last year with FAFSA and the significant issues caused by the defects in the form. So 300,000 students around the country chose not to go through with a college application. If we can eliminate barriers and simplify the process, the more families, the more students who are likely to persist through, complete the application," President Stoute said. "And for us, you can apply to Canisius through the Common app or our Canisius University application, and they are streamlined, fairly simple."
"The new Canisius scholarship is a sign of the university’s continued commitment to Buffalo and Western New York," added New York State Sen. Sean Ryan on Thursday. "We appreciate the institution’s dedication to making higher education accessible to Buffalonians who would otherwise not have the opportunity."
The Buffalo Promise Scholarship goes beyond covering 100% of undergraduate tuition costs.
"It combines the promise of zero tuition for eligible students with our Golden Griffin Guarantee, which guarantees graduation in four years, and our commitment to student success with the building of a state-of-the-art Student Success Center to provide wrap-around services to our students," President Stoute added.
The scholarship program also engages students in experiences designed to strengthen their connection to the Buffalo community, and prepare them to contribute to the region’s economic and social success.
Additionally, scholars will receive support from personalized student success teams, be paired with mentors and Buffalo-based Canisius alumni for professional guidance and participate in high-impact learning experiences in Buffalo and the surrounding areas via internships and immersions.
The Buffalo Promise Scholarship has the potential to affect more than half of the university’s incoming class in that it covers any remaining tuition costs after a student’s federal, state and institutional aid are applied. This ensures that eligible students can attend Canisius without paying any out-of-pocket tuition expenses.
"The team is going to work incredibly hard to communicate to students, to families, to community-based organizations and really talk about why this is a game-changer for Canisius, yes, but for Buffalo and for our students and their families. $125 million, that is a significant commitment from this institution, and I'm really proud, because we have always been about Buffalo," President Stoute added. "And this city's success is closely related to our success as an institution, and there's nothing more important to me and this institution than being a leader, being a partner in the great Renaissance that's happening here in Buffalo."
The program only covers undergraduate tuition at Canisius. To continue receiving the award, students must remain in good academic standing and complete the FAFSA and TAP applications annually.
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