Local colleges and universities have increased their financial aid offerings by nearly $78 million in the past five years in response to surging enrollment and growing financial need among students.

More than half of students today receive a scholarship or grant from their public college or university, and even more — 88 percent — of private school students get aid, according to national surveys.

“We know that times are hard, so that’s why we’re stepping up and putting more money into the pot each year,” said Amy Barnhart, director of Wright State University’s Office of Financial Aid.

In the past five years, the largest regional increases have been $31.5 million at the private University of Dayton, for a total $84 million awarded last year ; $18.7 million at Miami University, for a total $44.5 million ; and $10 million by the University of Cincinnati, for a total $32.8 million.

The increases come as many institutions also raised tuition and fees .

The institutional money is separate from state or federal aid , such as the Ohio College Opportunity Grant or the Pell Grant for needy students.

Schools offer additional aid to remain competitive in attracting and retaining good students, administrators say.

“Today’s top students — the best and the brightest — are the most difficult to attract because they have so many more options,” said Brent Shock, Miami University’s director of student financial assistance.

“To attract the best students, you have to have a competitive scholarship package,” he said.

Helping students, families

The University of Dayton is devoting $10 million more in financial aid to returning students . UD now offers $92 million annually in endowed and institutionally funded scholarships.

The university reportedly awards scholarships to more than 90 percent of its undergraduate students.

“We think that the opportunity to help our students and families at even more significant levels is very important,” said Kathy McEuen Harmon, dean of admission and financial aid.

“We don’t ever want to become a university where only the elite are able to attend. It’s really about being open to as diverse a community as possible”

The Catholic university’s largest scholarship based on academic merit is $16,000. Annual tuition and fees for the upcoming school year will be $33,400.

“We think that it supports our mission as a Catholic and Marianist university to be partners with families,” McEuen Harmon said.

“It makes a huge difference to families. This university has such a reputation for not only academic preparation, but using your education to serve others. By being able to offer scholarships, we’re making this university possible for so many. It’s really about being open to as diverse a community as possible.”

Wright State, a public university, offers financial aid to nearly one-third of students. Three years ago, the school began offering grants to needy students instead of loans. Next year, the awards will range from $600 to $1,800, Barnhart said. In-state tuition for the upcoming year will be $8,354.

“It’s actually targeted to help middle-income students. Because they don’t essentially get anything else,” she said. “We didn’t want our students getting into any more loan debt than what they already were.”

Cedarville University, a private Christian institution, plans to offer $4 million more in aid next school year. Last year, Cedarville gave $17.8 million to students. Tuition next year will be $25,496.

More aid to be competitive

Cedarville reviewed its financial aid policy in 2009 and simplified its offerings the following year to base one scholarship on need and one on academic merit, said Janice Supplee, vice president for enrollment management and marketing.

“We simply were not offering enough financial aid to be competitive,” she said.

Since the change, annual enrollment of new freshmen has increased by nearly 130 students, she said.

Miami University’s admissions office recently set a goal to raise an addition $15 million in scholarships.

Miami disbursed about $44.5 million for the 2011-12 school year, a 72 percent increase over five years earlier. In-state tuition for undergraduates will be $13,067 next year.

“Since 2009, we’ve redesigned our scholarship awards process. Close to 70 percent of our incoming freshman class is getting some sort of institutional scholarship or grant,” Shock said. “It’s a combination of needs-based and merit-based scholarships.”

The University of Cincinnati is offering more need-based scholarships, said Randy Ulses, director of student financial aid.

“If two students are awarded the same scholarship based on merit, but one of them has financial need and the other doesn’t, those awards would be placed into different categories,” he said.

“There’s been a rise in the incoming student population so we’ve had to increase the number and amounts of institutional grants and scholarships. In some cases they are showing more need because of the economy and there has been an increase in needs-based funds.”

In 2007-08, UC’s $22.9 million in institutional scholarships was evenly split between need-based and merit disbursements. By 2011-12, need-based giving totalled $17.4 million while merit aid had risen to $15.6 million. The university’s tuition is $10,784 for 2012-13.

Ulses said that universities try to be mindful of the money a student gets from other sources so that no one gets “over-scholarshiped.”

“We have to recognize both the merits of the academically talented students but also the needs of the entire student body, so we want to coordinate so that a student doesn’t end up with more scholarship money than they need to pay in tuition,” he said.

“All of the institutions are trying to be good stewards of the money we’re given.”