Disney Aspire instates $5,250 funding cap for cast members’ college tuition
The Walt Disney Company will scale back its Disney Aspire employee benefit, which formerly provided 100% college tuition to eligible workers.
Funding cap for Disney Aspire
Disney cast members participating in the Disney Aspire college tuition service will soon be subject to a $5,250 annual funding cap, Attractions Magazine has learned. The change will take effect Nov. 27, 2024.
The Disney Aspire program formerly covered 100% of college tuition plus textbooks and fees for eligible workers at select universities. The Walt Disney Company employs over 90,000 people worldwide across its many divisions, from theme parks to film studios.
Disney Aspire launched in August 2018. By 2021, the program had achieved its five-year goal of investing $150 million into its cast members’ education. By August 2023, nearly 4,000 cast members had graduated college through Disney Aspire, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
A Disney Aspire-specific FAQ URL within Disney’s press resources website now redirects to a general page about cast member benefits, though this change might not be recent.
Universities affected and overall tuition
Disney cast members studying at the following schools through Disney Aspire will be subject to the $5,250 funding cap beginning Nov. 27, 2024. We’ve listed the average annual tuition for each university according to U.S. News & World Report, to give you an idea of the cost different that now affects participating cast members.
| School | Average in-state annual tuition |
| Bellevue University | $8,790 |
| Johnson & Wales University | $39,992 |
| Purdue Global | $10,134 |
| Southern New Hampshire University | $16,450 |
| University of Arizona | $12,937 |
| University of Central Florida | $6,368 |
| University of Denver | $59,340 |
| University of Massachusetts Global | $500 per credit |
| Wilmington University | $12,030 |
Cast members’ education at the following schools will continue to be 100% funded by Disney Aspire beyond Nov. 27, 2024. However, at some point, these too will instate the funding cap.
| School | Average in-state annual tuition |
| California State University Fullerton | $7,074 |
| North Carolina A&T State University | $6,733 |
| University of Florida | $6,381 |
| Valencia College | $2,474 |
A handful of education opportunities do not cost the level of the funding cap, and therefore are still completely funded by Disney, including Fullerton College, Penn Foster College, and Sophia Learning.
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