The Juilliard School has announced that it will be engaging in a fundraising effort to eliminate tuition for all college students.

The campaign launches with $180 million in commitments, including a $130 million pledge for its Board of Trustees. The aim is to raise a total of $500 million to increase the number of tuition-free students each year on a rolling basis. Juilliard already has several tuition-free and fully funded programs, including the Drama Division’s Master of Fine Arts in Acting; the Artist Diplomas in jazz, music performance, opera studies, playwriting, and string quartet studies; Doctor of Musical Arts; and Historical Performance.

“This campaign represents a defining moment for Juilliard and for the future of the performing arts,” said Vincent Mai, the chair of Juilliard’s Board of Trustees, per an official press release. “The board’s collective pledge of $130 million reflects our shared belief that financial barriers should never stand in the way of exceptional talent. By making this commitment, we are reaffirming Juilliard’s role as a global leader in access, excellence, and artistic innovation.”

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