The Open Door Guarantee is one way Gardner-Webb University is opening the door to a more affordable private, Christian education.
Beginning fall 2027, eligible new undergraduate students from families with an income of $100,000 or less* can have 100% of their standard tuition and mandatory university fees covered through scholarships and grants.
Have questions about whether you qualify or how the Guarantee works? Start here.
Beginning with new students entering Fall 2027 and Spring 2028, eligible first-time freshmen and transfer Traditional Undergraduate students from families with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $100,000 or less can have 100% of their standard undergraduate tuition and mandatory university fees covered through scholarships and grants.
No loans are used to fulfill the tuition and fee Guarantee.
Yes. For eligible students, scholarships and grants combine to cover 100% of standard full-time Traditional Undergraduate tuition and mandatory university fees.
The Open Door Guarantee does not cover every expense associated with attending college, such as housing, meals, books and transportation.
The Open Door Guarantee is expected to be available to eligible new first-time freshmen and transfer students entering Gardner-Webb in Spring 2028, subject to program availability and applicable eligibility requirements. Gardner-Webb reserves the right to close the program to additional applicants for Spring 2028 based on enrollment and available funding.
Students interested in the Guarantee are encouraged to apply and complete the FAFSA as early as possible.
No. Eligible students from any U.S. state may qualify for The Open Door Guarantee.
Yes. Eligible students from the United States and U.S. territories may qualify for the Open Door Guarantee. Students must complete the FAFSA each year, have a qualifying family income of $100,000 or less as determined by the FAFSA, and meet all other Open Door Guarantee eligibility requirements.
To qualify, you must:
Gardner-Webb uses the family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) reported through the FAFSA, along with any additional information required to establish financial aid eligibility.
Families experiencing significant changes in financial circumstances may contact Gardner-Webb’s Office of Financial Planning to request a review through the University’s established Professional Judgment process to potentially be eligible for other institutional funding.
Additional documentation is required, and adjustments are not automatic.
Eligibility is based on the final information Gardner-Webb uses to determine your financial aid eligibility.
If Gardner-Webb corrects, verifies or updates your FAFSA, your eligibility for The Open Door Guarantee may also change.
Yes. New transfer students entering Gardner-Webb during the 2027-2028 academic year may qualify if they meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
No. The Open Door Guarantee is available to eligible new first-time freshmen and new transfer students entering Gardner-Webb during the 2027–2028 academic year.
Current Gardner-Webb students may continue to qualify for other scholarships, grants and financial aid based on individual eligibility.
No. The Open Door Guarantee is available to eligible students enrolled full time in a Traditional Undergraduate degree program and pursuing their first bachelor’s degree. Graduate, online and dual-enrollment students are not eligible.
Students returning to Gardner-Webb may still qualify for other scholarships, grants and financial aid based on individual eligibility.
No. The Guarantee is designed to help students earn their first bachelor’s degree. Eligibility ends when that degree is completed.
Yes. Student-athletes may be eligible for the Open Door Guarantee; however, students receiving a Gardner-Webb athletic scholarship cannot receive the Open Door Guarantee.
The Open Door Guarantee is available to eligible students “who reside on campus” enrolled full time in a Traditional Undergraduate degree program and pursuing their first bachelor’s degree. Graduate, online and dual-enrollment students are not eligible.
No. There is no separate Open Door Guarantee application.
Apply to Gardner-Webb and complete the FAFSA. Gardner-Webb will use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify.
Gardner-Webb’s FAFSA school code is 002929.
Students should complete the FAFSA and submit all required financial aid documentation by March 1, 2027 for priority consideration for the Open Door Guarantee. Students who complete the FAFSA after March 1 may still be considered, subject to program eligibility and available funding.
Spring 2028 availability is subject to enrollment, available funding, and the continuation of applicable federal and state aid programs. Gardner-Webb reserves the right to modify or close the program to additional applicants.
The Open Door Guarantee ensures that 100% of standard full-time Traditional Undergraduate tuition and mandatory university fees are covered for eligible students.
The Open Door Guarantee does not cover housing, meal plans, books, course-specific fees, transportation, personal expenses, or other costs of attendance.
The Open Door Guarantee covers the mandatory institutional fees assessed as part of an eligible student’s standard charges, including:
Course- or program-specific fees and other additional charges are not covered by the Guarantee.
The Open Door Guarantee does not cover:
No. Loans are not used to fulfill The Open Door Guarantee. Eligible tuition and mandatory university fees are covered through applicable scholarships and grants.
Students may still be eligible for other financial assistance to help with expenses not covered by the Guarantee, such as housing, meals, books, transportation and other educational costs.
Yes. The Open Door Guarantee covers tuition and mandatory fees, but students may receive other eligible financial assistance to help with housing, meals, books, transportation and other educational expenses.
The Open Door Guarantee ensures that full tuition and mandatory university fees are covered for every eligible student. Gardner-Webb academic merit scholarships, along with applicable federal and state grants and other institutional aid that may be combined with the Open Door Guarantee, are applied first. The Open Door Guarantee then covers any remaining eligible tuition and mandatory university fees.
Because each student’s financial aid package is unique, the amount provided through the Open Door Guarantee may vary. Regardless of the individual award amount, every eligible student receives the same guarantee: full tuition and mandatory university fees are covered.
You still earned it! Gardner-Webb academic merit scholarships are awarded at the time of admission and remain part of your financial aid package. Your academic merit scholarship is applied toward tuition as part of the Open Door Guarantee.
Your Pell Grant is applied toward eligible tuition and mandatory university fees as part of your financial aid package. The Open Door Guarantee then covers any remaining eligible tuition and mandatory university fees.
Outside scholarships may be applied toward housing, meals, books, and other educational expenses when permitted by the terms of the scholarship. If an outside scholarship is restricted to tuition or mandatory university fees, it will be applied to those charges and may reduce the amount provided through the Open Door Guarantee.
A student’s total financial aid cannot exceed the applicable Cost of Attendance.
Certain scholarships and benefits cannot be combined with the Open Door Guarantee. These include Gardner-Webb athletic scholarships, the Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Scholarship, Godbold Scholarship, Ignite Excellence Scholarship, Transfer Housing Grant, veteran scholarships, ROTC scholarships, tuition exchange, and tuition remission.
The Open Door Guarantee will not provide funding beyond the cost of full tuition and mandatory university fees.
Yes. Students must live on campus to qualify for The Open Door Guarantee and remain eligible. Housing and meal plan costs are not covered by the Guarantee.
Eligible first-time freshmen entering Gardner-Webb during the 2027-2028 academic year, including Fall 2027 and Spring 2028, may receive the Guarantee for up to eight consecutive fall and spring semesters while pursuing their first bachelor’s degree, provided they requalify each academic year.
Summer semesters are not included and do not count against the eight-semester eligibility period.
For transfer students, eligibility is based on transfer credits, academic standing at entry and the remaining time reasonably required to complete the first bachelor’s degree. Eligibility ends when the first bachelor’s degree is completed.
Eligibility for the Open Door Guarantee is reviewed annually. To renew, students must:
Eligibility is determined each academic year. If your family’s AGI exceeds $100,000 on the FAFSA used to determine eligibility for that year, you will not qualify for The Open Door Guarantee for that academic year.
If your family’s AGI returns to $100,000 or less in a later year, you may reapply to regain eligibility, provided you continue to meet the program’s other requirements.
You may still be eligible for other federal, state and Gardner-Webb financial aid.
The Open Door Guarantee is available to eligible students who qualify when they first enroll at Gardner-Webb. If you do not qualify for the Guarantee when you initially enroll, you cannot become eligible in a later year if your family’s income changes.
You may still qualify for Gardner-Webb academic scholarships, need-based assistance, federal or state financial aid and other financial assistance.
No. The Guarantee applies to consecutive fall and spring semesters only. Summer is not included in the Guarantee and does not count toward the student’s eligibility period.
The Open Door Guarantee is designed for students who remain continuously enrolled during consecutive fall and spring semesters. A break in enrollment may affect future eligibility.
The Guarantee does not automatically extend beyond your established eligibility period because of a change of major, additional major or minor, repeated coursework, or other academic choices that extend your time to graduation.
The Open Door Guarantee isn’t the only path to a more affordable Gardner-Webb education.
Qualifying new undergraduate students with a 3.5 weighted GPA or higher may receive a merit scholarship equal to 50% of tuition. Gardner-Webb also offers additional scholarships, grants and financial aid opportunities based on individual eligibility.
Gardner-Webb’s Admission team is here to help you understand your eligibility, financial aid offer and remaining college costs.
Complete your FAFSA using Gardner-Webb’s school code 002929, and we’ll help you take it from there.
Contact you Admissions Counselor today!
A private, Christian education may be more affordable than you think.
Apply to Gardner-Webb and complete the FAFSA to take the next step toward determining whether you qualify for The Open Door Guarantee.
*For purposes of The Open Door Guarantee, income eligibility is based on family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as determined through the FAFSA and confirmed by Gardner-Webb University.
The Open Door Guarantee is subject to enrollment, available funding and the continuation of applicable federal and state aid programs. Gardner-Webb reserves the right to modify or discontinue the program in its discretion.
The Open Door Guarantee is available to qualifying students and is subject to applicable eligibility requirements. Program terms and awards are subject to change.
