CSUDH is offering to cover four years of tuition for first-time, first-year, and two-year transfer students. The Toro Tuition Pledge (TTP), announced by the university Mar. 24, comes amid a budget crisis affecting the entire California State University system and declining enrollment at Dominguez Hills.
The program goes into effect in Fall 2026 and is expected to support more than 3,000 newly admitted students.
“The Toro Tuition Pledge builds on our longstanding work of expanding opportunity to ensure every student can succeed,” said Interim CSUDH President Mary Ann Villarreal in a statement to the Campus News Center. “This effort reaffirms our commitment to transforming students’ lives and economic prospects.”
Toros can expect to pay at least $400 more to attend CSUDH next year. The cost of in-state tuition each semester is set to increase from $3,931 to $4,355 in Fall 2026. This amount includes a $215 “Health, Wellness Recreation Fee” that will cover the cost of the university’s brand new exercise facility.
The $85 million, 83,000-square-foot facility located on the south side of campus will include multipurpose rooms, dance studios, two basketball courts, and a rock-climbing room.
The TTP is structured as a last-dollar financial aid program, meaning it only applies after other forms of aid—such as federal and state grants—are used. Danny Duong, CSUDH director of financial aid and scholarships, told The Bulletin the initiative aims to reduce uncertainty around paying for college.
“Students won’t have to guess what their financial aid package will be,” Duong said. “They can rest assured that they will be fully covered and focus on their academic and co-curricular goals.”
TTP recipients must attend New Student Orientation and be in good academic standing to maintain their eligibility—criteria already required as a Toro. However, only incoming students are eligible for the program; it does not apply to those currently enrolled at CSUDH. The program also excludes certain programs offered through the College of Professional and Extended Education.
Nearly 80% of Toros receive some form of financial aid, and at least 70% of students are the recipients of Federal Pell Grants—a need-based subsidy for undergraduates who have not earned a bachelor’s degree. Existing financial aid resources already cover the majority of costs at CSUDH, according to Duong, “with the remainder largely funded by private philanthropy.”
Although the TTP promises to cover tuition and fees, students are still responsible for housing, textbooks, transportation, and other living expenses. CSUDH expects the program to have measurable outcomes, Duong said, including increased “enrollment, retention, and graduation rates.”
He said: “Success is measured by more students recognizing and choosing CSUDH for its quality and affordability, with increased enrollment, retention, and graduation rates as a result.”
Who qualifies for the Toro Tuition Pledge?
The Toro Tuition Pledge guarantees that tuition and mandatory fees are fully covered for eligible new students using a last-dollar model that applies after existing financial aid. While it reduces out-of-pocket tuition costs, it primarily benefits students who already qualify for need-based aid and does not cover other expenses like housing or books. Here are the details:
- Be a California resident or eligible for in-state tuition
- Complete the FAFSA or CADAA by April 15
- Have a Student Aid-Index (SAI) of 10,000 or less
- Receive the Pell Grant (for FAFSA filers)
- Submit their Intent to Enroll by May 1