After four years of providing free textbooks to undergraduates, Eastern Kentucky University is changing its BookSmart program to comply with new federal financial aid regulations, but officials say students will still save big.
Beginning Fall 2026, textbooks will no longer be free but will instead be offered at a discounted rate of $26 per credit hour, or about $780 per year, far less than the national average of $1,250, according to the university.
EKU launched BookSmart in Fall 2021, offering free textbooks to about 10,000 students through a $5.2 million scholarship program funded by the university. University President David McFaddin said the goal then, as now, was to remove financial barriers to student success.
Federal changes taking effect July 1, 2026, under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, would make the free-book model count against students’ financial aid eligibility, according to EKU. The discounted format avoids that issue while still allowing students to use aid to cover textbook costs.
University officials said the new model will also extend to dual-credit students for the first time, and EKU has created a fund to assist those facing financial hardship due to the change.
University leaders say the program’s hallmark feature — prepackaged, ready-to-go materials before classes start — will remain, ensuring students can begin each semester prepared and without delay.
Source: WBKO
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