As higher education institutions face growing pressure to support student retention and protect revenue, more colleges and universities than ever before are enabling students and families to protect their investment through GradGuard. Nearly 700 schools have adopted GradGuard’s best practices to educate and protect students from the risks of college life and ensure they are prepared to overcome unexpected events that may disrupt their educational goals. 

“Institutions know that the cost of college has never been higher,” said John Fees, co-founder and CEO of GradGuard. “When a student’s academic journey is disrupted by illness, injury, or theft, the financial impact can be significant. Schools that rely on GradGuard embrace a proven way to help students recover, return, and complete their degrees, while protecting the school from tuition and housing losses.” 

According to The College Board, the average published price for the 2024-2025 school year was $11,610 for public four-year in-state institutions, $30,780 for public four-year out-of-state institutions, and $43,350 for private four-year schools. Given the scale of these investments and the reality that nearly 1 in 3 currently enrolled students has considered stopping out of their program (Gallup/Lumina Foundation, 2025), institutions are increasingly adopting proactive measures to help students and families manage these risks. 

GradGuard’s approach goes beyond relevant student protection by embedding financial literacy into the student experience. At no cost to schools, GradGuard integrates its pioneering tuition and renters insurance programs within the enrollment processes. 

Key protections GradGuard helps institutions provide: 

• Tuition Insurance: Can provide up to 100% reimbursement for tuition, housing, and fees for a withdrawal due to covered illness, injury, mental health condition, or other covered reason. 
• Renters Insurance: Can protect students’ personal property, on or off campus, from theft, damage, or other covered losses. Plans include personal liability coverage and features designed for college life, such as a low deductible and no credit check. 

According to recent American College Health Association data, students face ordinary but serious illnesses and injuries that may cause delays in progress toward their degree. 

In the ACHA’s National College Health Assessment from Spring 2024, the percentage of students who experienced health conditions and noted that the condition negatively impacted their academic performance: 

• Cold/virus, 46%
• Flu, 52.4%
• Mono, 52.8%
• Concussion 58.3%

Additionally, over 3 million students living in on-campus housing are often unaware that their college or university is unlikely to replace stolen or damaged personal property. Recent Clery Act Reports reveal an alarming average of over 24,000 crime and safety incidents are reported annually on college campuses.

• 2,411 robberies were reported on average annually
• 1,840 fires were reported on average annually
• 20,521 burglaries were reported on average annually

"Our mission is rooted in student success and college completion," added Fees. “When institutions give families the tools to protect their investment, they also protect enrollment, housing revenue, and the broader institutional mission.” 

To learn more about how your institution can seamlessly integrate GradGuard’s platform for protection at no cost, visit hub.gradguard.com.