“YOU ARE COLLEGE MATERIAL”
Melanie Heath
Strategy Director
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Announcing the Great Admissions Redesign 2026 cohort
Lumina Foundation is pleased to announce a new cohort of Great Admissions Redesign grantees, representing 10 states, systems, and institutions working to fundamentally simplify how students access college. Backed by more than $3.5 million in funding, these efforts reflect growing national momentum to move beyond a fragmented admissions process—one that has historically required students to navigate separate applications, financial aid systems, transcripts, and advising structures—and toward a more seamless, student-centered experience. Read more »
2026 cohort
2026 cohortImplementation grants
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GA)—Integrate financial aid, career exploration, and transcript movement into Georgia MATCH
University of North Carolina System—Expand NC College Connect and pursue integration of need-based financial aid estimates for students who receive offers through the direct admissions program
University of Hawaii System—Implement a unified admissions portal with financial aid information, and expand advising
Washington Student Achievement Council—Leverage a unified platform for guaranteed admissions, state financial aid, and advising
Idaho State University, College of Eastern Idaho, College of Southern Idaho—Implement co-enrollment through automatic admission and integrated data systems
Planning Grants
Minnesota Office of Higher Education—Plan for the redesign of MN’s state financial aid program aligned with Direct Admissions Minnesota
Miami Dade College, Indian River State College, St. Petersburg College—Design a scalable multi-term enrollment model
Technical College System of Georgia—Pilot a streamlined credit for prior learning process tied to admissions
Universities of Wisconsin—Clarify and improve college-ready math pathways to expand access to Direct Admit Wisconsin
Tennessee Board of Regents—Plan for a streamlined admissions, financial aid, and matriculation process for dual enrollment students
2024 cohort
2024 cohortImplementation grants
California State University system—Implement direct admissions, expand advising, and streamline transcript review through CaliforniaColleges.edu
Illinois Board of Higher Education—Implement direct admissions for high school seniors and transfer students
Northern Arizona University & Arizona community colleges—Implement universal admissions
Planning grants
Louisiana Board of Regents—Plan for simplified admissions for high school seniors and transfer students
Kentucky Council for Postsecondary Education—Align existing initiatives toward a simplified admissions process
Washington Student Achievement Council—Plan for a proactive admissions process that ties in financial aid eligibility
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board—Develop direct admissions pathways using MyTexasFuture.org
What admissions redesign looks like
“28 STATES, 2.7 MILLION STUDENTS”
Melanie Heath
Strategy Director
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“HOPE TO TAKE THE STRESS AWAY”
Melanie Heath
Strategy Director
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Blog
What if the path to college felt easier—and even joyful?
Melanie Heath • April 8, 2026
Across the 2026 cohort, a clear pattern is emerging: admissions is becoming the connective tissue that links together critical milestones on the college-going journey. Grantees are integrating admissions with financial aid, advising, transcript exchange, and even career exploration to create coordinated, end-to-end pathways for students. This shift from isolated improvements to aligned systems has the potential to remove longstanding barriers, reduce friction, and help many more students successfully enroll in college.
Want to redesign admissions?
Explore insights and lessons from the Great Admissions Redesign, drawn from multiple years of work with states, systems, and institutions. These resources highlight what it takes to move from fragmented processes to more seamless, student-centered pathways into college.
View more related resources →
Using Data to Redesign Postsecondary Admissions
Aug. 14, 2025
Admissions Innovations at the State and System Level
July 11, 2025
Great Admissions Redesign—2024 Convening Summary
Sept. 25, 2024
One Year Later: Lessons Learned
Six lessons from the grantees’ redesign efforts
Get an inside look at early activities spurring a rapidly expanding, nationwide admissions redesign movement. As grantees turn their ideas into reality, inspiring stories and lessons emerge. We hope you will join them.
Video
Lessons learned and new directions
In a conversation from August 22, 2025, leaders from Lumina, Education Strategy Group, Research for Action, California State University, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shared learnings and innovations from the first phase of the Great Admissions Redesign.
Great Admissions Redesign
Admissions redesign in the news
News stories on the Great Admissions Redesign challenge recently featured in Daily Lumina News. Get these and more higher-ed headlines delivered to your inbox.
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Idaho Partnership Secures National Grant to Simplify College Pathways for Students
Idaho State University
Idaho Partnership Secures National Grant to Simplify College Pathways for Students
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MDC Receives National Grant to Simplify College Admissions, Boost Enrollment and Student Success
MDC News
MDC Receives National Grant to Simplify College Admissions, Boost Enrollment and Student Success
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The Universities of Wisconsin receive national grant to advance Direct Admit Wisconsin and identify college ready math access statewide
News | Apr 8, 2026
MADISON, Wis.—The Universities of Wisconsin will use a $100,000 grant as part of Lumina Foundation’s Great Admissions Redesign initiative to identify math courses that prepare students for college...
More information
Get the backstory on the first two rounds of Great Admissions Redesign funding. You can see the 2023 finalists, webinar, application questions, and more on the archive page.
Applications were due October 6, 2023.
Winners were announced February 29, 2024.