University of Michigan Shifts Funding from DEI into Free Tuition Program
The University of Michigan has significantly increased its financial aid through the Go Blue Guarantee, awarding nearly $56 million to over 6,300 students this year. This expansion comes one year after the university closed its multimillion-dollar Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative, redirecting those resources toward student support programs.
Substantial Growth in Financial Aid
According to data from the university's Academic and Budgetary Affairs office, the Go Blue Guarantee provided $55.97 million to 6,387 students across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses in 2026. This represents a dramatic increase from the previous year, when the program awarded $26.25 million to 3,786 students. The number of recipients has grown by nearly 70%, with 2,601 additional students benefiting from the expanded funding.
The demographic breakdown of this year's recipients shows 44.5% are white, 17.4% are Black, 12.4% are Asian, 5.6% are Hispanic, and 20.2% identify as other or more than one race.
Redirecting DEI Resources
University officials explained that when they ended the eight-year-old DEI initiative last year, they committed to shifting that investment into programs directly supporting students. The DEI effort had employed 163 full-time staff members, with salaries costing approximately $15 million annually. Following the program's closure, the university eliminated 14 positions, 36 other employees left in 2025, and remaining staff returned to their original units.
"The millions of dollars invested in the DEI initiative was refocused on the students, and the expansion of the Go Blue Guarantee is clearly a result of that refocus," said U-M Board Chair Mark Bernstein.
Evolution of the Go Blue Guarantee
Since its launch in 2018 as part of the DEI initiative, the Go Blue Guarantee has provided $223.8 million to 25,796 students across Michigan's three campuses. The program originally began on the Ann Arbor campus with the goal of increasing economic diversity by offering free tuition to students from families with incomes up to $65,000 and assets up to $50,000.
The program has undergone several expansions:
- In 2022, it extended to students on the Dearborn and Flint campuses
- The family income threshold has increased twice, now covering students from families with income and assets up to $125,000
- In 2026, U-M began covering the full cost of attendance, including housing costs, for students enrolled in teacher preparation, nursing, and social work programs
Tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students vary by campus: $18,346 at Ann Arbor, $16,240 at Dearborn, and $15,622 at Flint, according to the Michigan Association of State Universities.
Additional Student Support Initiatives
Beyond the Go Blue Guarantee expansion, some of the redirected DEI funding has supported other student-focused initiatives:
- Implementation of 24/7 AI tutors and personal AI assistants for all campus members
- Improved advising, counseling, and pre-professional guidance services
- Increased access to mental health services including the "Let's Talk" program and wellness check-ins
- Expansion of the Blavin Scholars Program supporting undergraduates who experienced foster care, kinship care, or lack parental support
- Continued support for key student spaces like the Trotter Multicultural Center and Spectrum Center
- Ongoing support for cultural events including MLK Day and Powwow celebrations
The new Wolverine Village residence hall, expected to open in fall, will include three multicultural lounges as part of these ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts.
While the university has made significant progress in redirecting resources, some initiatives remain pending, including covering the full cost of attendance for students from the school of music, theatre, and dance.
