Is there such a thing as a free education? Yes, there is (with certain caveats)! In the first two parts of this six-part series, we will look at eight states and one city that already have tuition-free programs in place. Eligibility requirements vary, but for those who meet them, opportunity could abound.
San Francisco’s Free Tuition Program
States usually rule when it comes to free-tuition programs, as we will soon see, but one city – San Francisco – decided to create a program of its own.
This fall (2017), all 28,000 students attending City College of San Francisco go to school tuition-free. Unlike many of the state tuition-free programs, this one only requires its students to be a high school graduate and a resident of SF, meaning they have lived in the city for at least one year.
It doesn’t matter when (or where) students finished high school, or if they want to go to school full-time vs taking an occasional class here or there … it is covered. The city is paying the bill by committing $5.4 million per year for the first two years through a real estate tax on luxury properties costing $5 million or more.
While this program pays the tuition cost at $46 per credit, it does not pay the mandatory $17 per semester fee nor does it cover the cost of books and supplies. Not quite a free education, but close.
State Tuition-Free Programs
At the time of writing, eight states have grant-style programs in place:
New York
This state became the first one to fund both two and four-year colleges with its Excelsior Scholarship Program that just took effect for the 2017/2018 academic year. Costing $163 million per year, certain students meeting the eligibility requirements can attend either a state or city university within the state of New York without having to pay tuition.
The caveat? This program only applies to students whose families makes less than $125,000 per year, who don’t already have a degree, must enroll as a full-time student, and agree to live and work in the state of New York for the same number of years as they use the program.
Oregon
This state’s Oregon Promise Scholarship started with the 2016 academic year, but only covers recent high school graduates and GED recipients going to an Oregon community college; it does not cover adults.
Costing an estimated $10.9 million in its first year, the eligibility requirements changed for the 2017/2018 and beyond by limiting the state grant to students whose Estimated Family Contribution (EFC on the FAFSA application) is $18,000 or less.
Rhode Island
Also called the Promise Scholarship, this state limits funding to recent high school graduates who enroll in Rhode Island Community College this fall. The four-year pilot program is projected to cost $2.8 million in its first year.
Next, we’ll look at the other states in this list and the free-tuition programs they offer.
