Georgetown University’s Class of 2028 includes the highest number of Pell-eligible students in over a decade, according to a university announcement. For the 2024-25 academic year, Pell-eligible students make up approximately 15% of the incoming undergraduate cohort. The Department of Education awards Pell Grants to undergraduate students who are determined to have significant financial need.
Pell-eligible students have a 92% graduation rate at Georgetown, one of the highest in the nation. Georgetown also tops the list of colleges with the highest return on investment (ROI) for low-income students. In recent years, the university has worked steadily to increase its number of Pell grant recipients, and this past year, the university began considering students’ Pell eligibility as part of its holistic and comprehensive admissions process.
“Every student at Georgetown, all class discussions, all learning are advantaged by a student body with diverse life experiences,” said Georgetown Provost Robert M. Groves, a first-generation graduate. “Pell students are part of our multipronged approach to building a socioeconomically diverse student community and fostering an environment of dialogue among diverse perspectives.”
Removing financial barriers is critical to Georgetown’s mission, said Charlie Deacon (C’64, G’69), the university’s dean of admissions and a first-generation college graduate. Georgetown is committed to meeting the full financial need of every admitted, eligible undergraduate student. In addition to Pell grants, Georgetown offers a financial aid package that includes grants, scholarships, educational loans, and school employment.
In the past academic year, Georgetown has awarded $265 million in financial aid to undergraduate and graduate students. Approximately 50% of undergraduate students receive financial aid, and 35% receive institutional aid in the form of grants or scholarships. In the upcoming year, Georgetown has increased its financial aid budget by 8% to $285 million, the largest-ever commitment to financial aid in Georgetown’s history.
“We want to make sure Georgetown is a place where all students can thrive,” Deacon said.
On-campus resources for low-income, first-generation students
Georgetown has several programs that attract and support students of all backgrounds so they can fully explore their ambitions and talents. A number of these programs focus on first-generation college students, as almost half (48%) of first-generation college students qualify for Pell grants.
Established in 1968, the Community Scholars Program (CSP) is one of Georgetown’s longest-running programs. CSP, part of the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access (CMEA), supports first-generation college students throughout their four years of college through mentorship, academic advising, personal counseling, workshops, and study groups. Incoming CSP participants attend a five-week academic bridge pre-orientation in the summer that helps them transition to college. This summer, 88 students participated in the summer program, its largest-ever cohort. CSP has a graduation rate of 93%, compared to the national average of 26% for first-generation students.
The Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP), which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, provides wraparound support and funding for essential items and services for first-generation college students and low-income students. GSP also offers advising and mentorship by staff and alumni and a built-in community. GSP’s graduation rate is 94%.
Georgetown’s First Fellows Program also provides first-generation college students in the College of Arts & Sciences with academic guidance, faculty mentors, connections to career pathways, and financial support for summer internships and employment opportunities.
In addition, Georgetown helps prepare students in K-12 public education for college work. Since 1989, Georgetown’s Pre-College Programs, run through CMEA, prepare Washington, DC area public middle and high school students for postsecondary success through academic, psychosocial, and family support.
“At Georgetown, we are focused on caring for the whole person, ensuring that every student can thrive and be successful [here],” said Charlene Brown-McKenzie (C’95, G’23, Parent’27), CMEA director. “We will continue to work toward providing resources, opportunities, and programs that foster students’ success in and out of the classroom and an equitable, inclusive, and loving environment for students of all backgrounds.”