CPS Strong is our commitment to provide support for any student in the Cincinnati Public School district who wants to pursue a degree at UC.
As the largest university in Cincinnati with a great footprint in our community, we have a responsibility to support the work that’s happening in our city by ensuring access to quality education for all populations, including low-income and first-generation college students.
Our city is only as strong as our public school system. CPS Strong works to establish an institution-wide model to engage and empower Cincinnati Public School students. By aligning programs and services to ensure readiness, create access, and foster success, we can achieve educational transformation and positively impact the future of our university and our city.
Through partnerships and collaboration, our goal is to ensure college readiness, create access, and foster success for CPS students attending UC.
CPS Strong puts the student and their family at the center of everything we do. Our mission aligns with that of the Cincinnati Public School system by focusing on providing support for the whole student. As a CPS student, we want to make sure you know about available resources to help you prepare for, enroll in, and graduate college.
From middle school through high school, different mentorship programs, such as Bearcat Buddies, Breakthrough Cincinnati, and Bearcats Academy, can help you discover and develop your academic interests.
As a high school student, you will have many opportunities to get a head start on college by taking college-level coursework at UC through programs such as Launch UC and College Credit Plus. Innovative programming like the College Innovation Pathway even offers you the option to complete an associate’s degree while in high school. This will open the doors to better paying jobs or let you transition to a bachelor’s degree program and finish faster – saving you both time and money.
Consistent with our mission, we also focus on other barriers to student success, such as homelessness and mental health. CPS’s Project Connect serves students experiencing homelessness by connecting them and their families with the community resources they need.
And finally, to make college more accessible, UC applies a holistic approach in its application review process, which means we look at more than just your grades and test scores. Looking at the whole student gives applicants who historically have been excluded from college the opportunity to pursue a degree.
With the increasing cost of tuition across the country, UC is committed to making college as affordable as possible. By offering different types of financial aid, scholarships, and grants, we work to lower the financial burden of college on students and their families. The Marian Spencer Scholarship Program and the Cincinnati Pride Grant are two programs reserved exclusively for CPS students.
The Marian Spencer Scholarship Program was established in 2021 in honor of UC alum and local civil rights icon, Marian Spencer. Students accepted into the program receive full tuition, housing, and food in addition to study abroad experiences and mentoring opportunities.
The Cincinnati Pride Grant offers additional need-based aid for CPS students applying to UC. This grant will automatically be awarded to eligible students.
CPS students may also be eligible for other financial aid programs, such as the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program and the Cincinnatus Scholarship. You can find a list of all UC-wide scholarships on UC’s Financial Aid website. Major-specific grants and scholarships are also available, so make sure you check the different UC colleges’ websites for more information.
Speak with UC's Admissions counselor for CPS to learn how you can become a Bearcat or submit a request for more information.
Collaboration and partnerships are the backbone of CPS Strong. Idea-sharing, exploring, and networking are central to the innovation that helps connect CPS schools, UC, and the Cincinnati community.
Here are some of the projects and initiatives that make CPS Strong:
College Readiness
College Access
College Success
College student participation is crucial to CPS Strong’s mission as they work directly with CPS students, serving as role models by offering valuable insights and practical advice based on their own experiences.
College students serve in paid or volunteer roles, often as program ambassadors or mentors. By providing guidance, support, and motivation you can help high school students navigate challenges and achieve their academic and personal goals.
Here are a few opportunities for you to get involved:
This program was designed to remove barriers between local CPS students and students at UC who are interested in building tutoring relationships. Bearcat Buddies primarily work with students in kindergarten through 6th grade. Learn more about Bearcat Buddies
A mentoring opportunity where UC students can engage in supportive relationships with students from three local high schools that revolve around academic mentoring, esteem building, and achievement motivation. Learn more about Bearcats Academy
Breakthrough is a four-year, tuition-free academic enrichment program for high-potential middle school students who are not familiar with college. Learn more about Breakthrough Cincinnati
A collaboration between UC and CPS with a goal to increase college access and knowledge through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Learn more about CPS Ambassadors
The region’s K-12, STEM-focused organization that connects partners across education, business, and community sectors on behalf of students and families in the region. Student mentors can get involved in various programming, such as afterschool clubs, demonstration projects, and community convenings. Learn more about the Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative
UCUB’s mission is to provide academic skills and motivation for eligible students to graduate from high school and obtain post-secondary education. Learn more about UC Upward Bound
Our mission is to ensure that Cincinnati Public Schools students succeed and thrive in college by providing the tools, resources, and support through partnership among the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools, and community agencies.
Our vision is to strengthen Cincinnati, its workforce, and the community by ensuring that Cincinnati Public Schools students have a pathway to success and enrichment through higher education at the University of Cincinnati.
March 20, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is partnering with Cincinnati Public Schools to host the fifth annual CPS All-Star Showcase event set for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 4, in Fifth Third Arena.
February 9, 2026
William Walker, a second-year chemical engineering major at the University of Cincinnati, discusses his first cooperative education experience at American Rheinmetall. Walker is a graduate of Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati and a Marian Spencer Scholar.
January 16, 2026
University of Cincinnati’s College and Career Tracks guide high school students through dual enrollment and College Credit Plus pathways. Students earn transferable college credits, explore careers in allied health and other fields, gain early college experience and improve college readiness while reducing future tuition costs.
January 14, 2026
WCPO 9 News in Cincinnati discusses UC's co-op program and job readiness in a tight job market. Journalist Taylor Woods speaks with UC students and Annie Straka, associate dean of the UC College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies.
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcats Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcats Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.
December 11, 2025
The University of Cincinnati admits its newest Bearcats for Fall 2026. Interest in the university is at an all-time high with more than 35,000 applicants for admission. Decision Day was also a time to celebrate 10 new Marian Spencer Scholarship recipients.
