The Invest in U funding program has expanded, and that means students in twice as many majors will have access to money to help them complete their degrees.

Invest in U is available to students who are within 32 hours of graduation, are U.S. residents and are pursuing any of 41 degrees that are now part of the program (see list below).

“We are the first university in the West and the second in the country to offer this innovative tool to our students,” said Courtney McBeth, special assistant to the president. “We know our students don’t want to accumulate debt, and yet funding can be a barrier in their educational progress, which is why students may start and stop their schooling. This equity-based financial tool may be a good option for students who are close to the finish line, plus it lets them know we believe in them and their future success.” The U launched Invest in U earlier this year as an option for students who are close to graduating but face funding gaps or have pursued a degree in a start-and-stop, part-time pattern due to finances. It is designed to help students graduate faster so they can fully launch a professional career and begin reaping the benefits associated with a college degree.

How it works

Invest in U makes income share agreements (ISA) available to students in more than 40 majors. Students may receive $3,000 to $10,000 to pay tuition, fees and other education-related expenses.

Once employed, students fulfill their ISA contract by paying a small percentage of earnings over a fixed period. Those payments go back into the Invest in U fund, where they are used to help fund future students to finish their degrees. Invest in U is based on income, and there is no principal balance or interest accrued.

The program allows payments to be paused for graduate school, voluntary service commitments or when a person is employed full time but making less than $20,000 a year.

Learn more at the FAQ page or contact Melanie Evans in Financial Aid at isa@utah.edu or 801-581-6211.