UCLA

Over the past decade, a significant number of higher education institutions across the US have sought to expand education access by establishing tuition waivers for Native American students. A tuition waiver commonly provides free or reduced tuition for Native American students who can meet the eligibility criteria set by an institution. As support for Native students through the form of tuition waivers continues to expand, there is a critical need for institutions to understand both the positive and negative impacts of tuition waivers beyond the benefits of financial assistance. In this thesis, I explore the impact of Native American tuition waivers by focusing on the University of California’s Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP) and Native student experiences with the NAOP at UCLA. Through interviews with Native students from diverse tribal community connections and racial identities, this study highlights the importance of recognizing the complexity of contemporary Native identities and addressing barriers for Native students beyond financial access. The findings suggest that tuition waivers can be most effective when paired with intentional learning about Native communities on behalf of institutions, and sustained support systems that promote Native student retention and pathways toward graduation. In addition, I offer recommendations based on Native student’s experiences for expanding tuition waiver eligibility to include the highest number of eligible students.