Getting a Dorm is Like Russian Roulette: An Analysis of State Tuition Waivers for College Students Experiencing Homelessness in the U.S.

State tuition waivers waive undergraduate college tuition for students who have a documented history of being housing insecure. However, there is a limited understanding on the effectiveness of state tuition waivers from the users’ perspective and how they can support students while attending college. To fill this gap, we partnered with five students at a public university in Florida to visually document their experiences attending college while utilizing the tuition waiver. Findings highlight the gaps between policy intent and impact, underscoring the need for support that extends beyond tuition relief. This study contributes to the public affairs education by offering insights directly from student consumers and actionable recommendations on how public institutions can better support housing-insecure students to ensure they reach graduation.