Help UC Students Succeed - Without the Cost of Textbooks

This Giving Tuesday, help UC Libraries make education more affordable, one classroom at a time.

For many college students, the cost of textbooks and course materials creates an additional financial burden on top of tuition, housing and everyday expenses. With students at four-year public universities budgeting an average of $1,290 annually for textbooks and supplies, these costs can become a barrier to academic success.

UC Libraries is working to change that.

Launched in 2026, the Zero Textbook Cost Grant Program provides grants to UC faculty to replace expensive commercial textbooks with free, high-quality educational resources. By eliminating textbook costs, the program helps ensure that students have access to the materials they need to succeed in the classroom, regardless of their financial circumstances.

And the impact is already remarkable.

The program's first cohort of grants is projected to save UC students $1.1 million in textbook costs in 2027 alone.

That's $1.1 million students can put toward tuition, housing, food and other essential expenses instead of textbooks.

But there is much more we can do.

With your support, UC Libraries can expand the Zero Textbook Cost Grant Program, empowering more faculty to eliminate textbook expenses and helping even more Bearcats access the resources they need to thrive. A single grant can make course materials free for an entire classroom of students, and the benefits can extend to future classes for years to come.

This Giving Tuesday, your generosity can help remove financial barriers, expand educational opportunity, and make a lasting difference in the lives of UC students. 

Give today. Help make the cost of learning affordable for every student.

UC and UC Health employees can give via payroll deduction today!