Where Is Community College Free
The states offering free community college currently include Arkansas, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
The states and localities that offer free community college change often. The best way to find a program you can benefit from is to search for grants or “promise programs” in your state or local area. The financial aid administrators at your local community college also may know of available programs.
If there is a free community college program available to you, be sure you qualify and in some cases, are accepted before assuming you’ll get free tuition. Depending on the program, there can be many necessary eligibility qualifications.
Some states, such as Michigan, offer free community college for individuals with particular circumstances. For example, the Michigan Reconnect program makes “in-district” community colleges accessible for residents over 25 who lack any college education.
Although some states have made community college free for residents, the initiative has yet to be passed at the federal level. In 2021, early versions of the Build Back Better social spending bill included a proposal for free community college for students across the country. But, after much compromise, the free community college provision was cut from the act.
Hawaii Hawaii Promise Scholarship
The Hawaii Promise Scholarship covers the tuition fees of students who are enrolled in at least six credits at a University of Hawaii Community College. This is a last-dollar program, meaning it covers financial needs not met by other forms of financial aids. It covers tuition, fees, books, supplies, and transportation for eligible students. Around 1,500 students received the scholarship in 2017-18, receiving an average of $1,200 each.
Eligibility Criteria
Residents of Hawaii who have submitted their Free Application for Federal Student Aid application can apply.
Delta Community College University Center
Delta College is a community college dedicated to serving Saginaw, Midland, and Bay counties. The campus at University Center Michigan has both Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University. Fifteen thousand students are enrolled at the college. Delta has more than 140 programs to choose from. Delta Community College ranked 18th best in Michigan from the website Academic Influence.
For the Michigan Reconnect program, legal residents of Bay, Midland, or Saginaw counties only are considered in-district for this college.
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Whats The Biggest Concern About The Program
Getting adults into college is good, but it doesnt mean theyll earn a degree.
Lou Glazer, president of Ann Arbor-based think tank Michigan Future, warned that tuition is only one barrier to degree attainment. A lot of adults, the reason they dont complete are other life issues, theyre raising kids, working a job. So you have to structure a program so they can lead their lives.
Second, there are real financial costs beyond tuition, like books and living expenses. And third, a lot of people are not ready academically to go back to school, and schools are not terrific at taking people who have academic foundational issues and getting them to a degree.
You have to address all the issues to be successful, Glazer said.
How Will I Know If My Fafsa Application Was Processed And The Amount Of My Reconnect/financial Aid Award
If no further information is needed for your financial aid, all students that have successfully completed an application to the State of Michigan and an application to Oakland Community College will receive emails in their OCC student email accounts within 7-10 days after successfully completing and submitting their FAFSAs.
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Get Free Tuition To Earn A Degree Or Certificate At Occ From Michigan Reconnect Program
Oakland Community College, in partnership with the Michigan Reconnect program, is offering free in-district tuition to qualifying Michigan residents who want to earn an associate degree or certificate. Students have four years to complete an associate degree or eligible certificate in one program of study.
Are You Eligible For Free Tuition
The Michigan Reconnect program provides tuition assistance for Michigan residents over the age of 25. LCC tuition is free for in-district residents, and reduced for out-of-district residents. Youre still responsible for course fees and books, but its a huge cost savings. Learn more from LCCs Michigan Reconnect page.
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Is Community College Free
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There are at least 23 states that offer free community college tuition to some students.
“Free” doesn’t necessarily mean your education will carry no cost. Students are often expected to cover fees, room and board and transportation.
In addition, free community college often comes with requirements that limit who qualifies. For example, receiving free tuition can depend on income, residency, previous education, age and other factors. In addition, there are restrictions concerning your field of study in some states, such as Kentucky, that may affect your eligibility to receive free tuition.
Free College Tuition In Michigan: Which Schools Offer What
July 19: Deadline looms for thousands of Michigan residents offered free tuition
Depending on where you live, how much you earn, how old you are and even what job you hold, college tuition may be free for you in Michigan.
But figuring out where you can pay nothing for college tuition and where youd still have to write hefty checks is not always simple.
If you live or go to high school in Detroit, theres a free tuition program for you at one Michigan public university.
If you come from a household in the bottom half of income in the state, you qualify for free tuition at another.
A third public university offers free tuition to some residents of six counties, and a fourth guarantees free tuition for low-income students with good grades.
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And if you were a frontline worker in the first months of the pandemic or are over the age of 25, you have a golden ticket to the states community colleges and, afterward, discounted tuition at some public four-year colleges.
Unfortunately, there is no centralized clearinghouse for now for students and families to determine what schools offer them their best financial options. So Bridge Michigan has compiled a list of public and private colleges that weve found offer some type of free tuition program, with information on who is eligible, and links for more detail. Well add to this list as new programs are announced.
Albion College
Alma College
Alma
Detroit
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Michigans Free Community College Offer Isnt Free In Parts Of The State
Update: Michigan advertised free community college. Nearly 170,000 have applied.
Community college will be free for some Michigan residents but not for others, under the guidelines for a highly anticipated program announced Tuesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Michigan Reconnect promises free tuition and mandatory fees at the states community colleges and many professional training centers for residents ages 25 and older. The $30-million program was lauded by Whitmer as a huge step forward to increase college attainment in the state.
But for 1-in-5 residents who otherwise meet the programs requirements, community college still wont be free.
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In fact, residents in all or part of 50 of the states 83 counties representing half the geographic area of the state wont qualify for the full benefit of the program. That includes regions whose residents could use the most help paying college tuition.
Under the guidelines of the program, approved by the Legislature and signed by Whitmer, residents aged 25 and older can attend community college tuition-free, but only at the campus within their community college district.
A community college district is the geographical region that pays property tax toward supporting one of the states 28 community colleges.
The problem: about 20 percent of state residents dont live in a community college district.
They say, What can I do? Merton said.
Hot Jobs In The Michigan Thumb Region 2021
The following jobs require skilled workers with a certificate or associate degree from a community college. These jobs are in demand in Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, and Shiawassee counties.
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Median Hourly Wage: $ 17.08
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Median Hourly Wage:$ 23.23
- Machinists Median Hourly Wage: $16.06
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General Median Hourly Wage: $15.84
- Medical Assistants Median Hourly Wage: $14.08
- Nursing Assistants Median Hourly Wage: $14.72
- Personal Care Aides Median Hourly Wage: $ 11.09
- Pharmacy Technicians Median Hourly Wage: $ 13.60
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Median Hourly Wage: $ 33.86
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Median Hourly Wage: $16.38
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Michigan Residents Offered Free Community College Education On Over 28 Campuses
The State of Michigan announced a program this year that will allow any Michigan resident to earn a tuition-free two-year associate degree from a community college or skills certificate. The new free community college scholarship, called Michigan Reconnect, is an initiative that offers a historic tuition-free chance for more than 4.1 million Michiganders age 25 and over to earn an associate degree or skills certificate.
Michigan Is Now Offering Free College Tuition Here’s How To Apply
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday launched Michigan’s largest effort to date to pay for college tuition for residents 25 or older who don’t have a degree.
The $30 million Michigan Reconnect program will pay the cost of tuition for eligible adults who want to pursue an associate degree or skills certificate at their in-district community college or a $1,500 scholarship to be used at more than 70 private training schools that offer training certificates.
An estimated 4.1 million residents are eligible for the program, state officials say, and the application process opened Tuesday.
To qualify, students must meet the minimum age requirement, have lived in the state for a year or longer and have a high school diploma but not a college degree.
“All Michiganders deserve a pathway to a good-paying job, whether they choose to pursue a college degree, technical certificate, or an apprenticeship, said Whitmer, who was joined by a bipartisan group of legislators in making the announcement during a virtual news conference. Michigan Reconnect will connect thousands of Michiganders to good-paying jobs and connect businesses with the talent they need to thrive in their communities. Im proud of the hard work that has gone into creating this historic new opportunity and look forward to continuing bipartisan work with lawmakers toward our goal of ensuring 60% of Michiganders will have a postsecondary degree by 2030.
Michiganians can submit applications at michigan.gov/Reconnect.
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Lake Michigan College Announces New Free Tuition Program
By Staff Report
BENTON HARBOR Lake Michigan College announced Tuesday the creation of LMC Promise, a free tuition program for new and returning students beginning in Fall 2022.
The last-dollar program covers tuition costs of eligible in-district students who are high school graduates through age 24, meaning it pays the remaining tuition costs once other grants and scholarships have been applied.
The program is designed to meet the funding gap between high school graduation and eligibility for the Michigan Reconnect program at age 25.
As a community, we need to take bold, new steps to meet the current employee shortage and to ensure a future workforce that is prepared to step into leadership positions across the district, said LMC President Dr. Trevor Kubatzke. The LMC Promise is that bold step. We created this program to address the needs of both local employers and the underemployed. We promise to connect all eligible students with free tuition and the opportunity to earn their associate degree with minimal loans to pay back and no strings attached.
Who is eligible?
With the LMC Promise, tuition up to 80 credit hours or 6 years will be free for new and returning students who meet the following criteria:
Inspiration
While Reconnect has helped students already in the workforce, LMC Promise provides a new opportunity for graduating high school seniors to pursue their college dreams.
Community Impact
Program Evolution
More Education
Lansing Community College Lansing
Lansing Community College offers 230 various associate degree and certificate programs. Each year approximately 1,150 courses are conducted on its main campus in Lansing and its satellite locations. LCC is also known for its National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium Training Center. Most of the classes in this center are located at the colleges West Campus. Student enrollment is 18,000. Lansing Community College ranked 19th best in Michigan from the website Academic Influence.
LCCs location in downtown Lansing and its close proximity to Michigans capital and the states main library make the college campus an ideal research location for those students writing a thesis. In addition, its not uncommon for students at nearby Michigan State University to enroll for prerequisite classes at an economic rate.
For the Michigan Reconnect program, residences of the following districts are elidable Bath, Dansville, Dewitt, East Lansing, Grand Ledge, Haslett, Holt / Dimondale, Lansing, Leslie, Mason, Okemos, Stockbridge, Waverly, Webberville, and Williamston.
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Michigan Offers Free Community College Tuition To Residents 25 And Older
Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. Michigan is accepting applications for tuition-free assistance for adults 25 and older to earn an associates degree or postsecondary certificate at their local community college or a private training school.
The program, called Michigan Reconnect, is being supported with an initial $30 million in state funding.
To succeed as a state, Michigan must be a state of successful people, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said during a press conference Tuesday.
Applicants must be at least 25, have lived in the state a year or more, have a high school diploma or equivalent and not have an associates or bachelors degree. More than 4.1 million residents could be eligible.
Regardless of whether youre a Democrat or a Republican, we can all agree on the importance of making sure every Michigander has a path to a good paying job here in our state, Whitmer said.
How To Land A Spot At One Of These Tuition
All Michiganders deserve a pathway to a good-paying job, whether they choose to pursue a college degree, technical certificate, or an apprenticeship, Gov. Whitmer said during a virtual news conference on Tuesday. She added, Im proud of the hard work that has gone into creating this historic new opportunity and look forward to continuing bipartisan work with lawmakers toward our goal of ensuring 60% of Michiganders will have a postsecondary degree by 2030.
Fox 17 News quoted Michigan State Senator Ken Horn as saying, Even if Michigan were able to keep every high school and college graduate, it wouldn’t be enough to fill our states talent gap. Our aim with Michigan Reconnect is to meet our states workforce need by encouraging and assisting residents to afford and achieve a college credential or advanced certificate. Now our state has a tool to reach out to adults wanting to pursue postsecondary education, if they choose to.
At the same virtual announcement, John Walsh, president of the Michigan Manufacturers Association, cited the need for this kind of support, “What unites all of manufacturing is the need for talent. It’s a desperate need for skilled talent. There’s a skills gap that we need to address. That’s why we are so excited about Michigan Reconnect. It is, in every sense, a win-win for everybody. It gives us economic stability in the state of Michigan and makes us a leader in workforce development and education.”
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More Than 19k Michigan Residents Apply For Tuition
MLive file photoCory Morse | MLive.com
On Tuesday afternoon, Michigan officials launched a program aimed at helping people over 25 without college degrees pay for community college or skilled trades training.
As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, more than 19,000 people have already applied for community college tuition assistance. And the state is no longer taking new applications for state scholarships to help cover costs of private skilled training programs, according to Michigans Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
The Michigan Reconnect program a bipartisan initiative backed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, state lawmakers in both parties and business and education groups is open to people who are at least 25 years old, a Michigan resident for at least a year and have a high school diploma or equivalent, but not a college degree.
For applicants seeking a community college degree, the program pays the balance of tuition and mandatory fees after any other state and federal financial aid the applicant is eligible for is applied. Scholarships funded by Michigan Reconnect will be accepted by all Michigan community colleges, although applicants who want to attend a community college outside of their district will only be covered for the in-district rate of tuition.
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Now: Lake Michigan College Announces A New Tuition Free Program
BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. A Michiana college wants to make it easy for students to get an education.
Lake Michigan College has announced a new program, offering a free tuition program for incoming and returning students for the upcoming 2022 school year.
The ‘Promise’ program aims to bridge the gap between high school graduates and fill worker shortages in the community.
A community college we have a role to play in helping to fill gaps and to help respond to issues. And we have a labor market shortage issue thats pressing in a lot of communities no different than ours, said Lake Michigan College Student Affairs Vice President, Nygil Likely said. So, this is one way that we can help ensure that we have a skilled and ready workforce for our community.
Lake Michigan College, free tuition program, Promise, is a last-dollar program that covers tuition costs of new and returning in-district students.
Meaning, the college will pay the remaining tuition costs once other scholarships and grants have been applied. Its designed for students ages 24 and younger. Lake Michigan Colleges Promise program is capped at 24 years old because of the Michigan Reconnect Program. Which is a state scholarship that offers free community college tuition for students 25 years and older.
Student Affairs Vice President Likely said the new program was created to bridge the gap between the Reconnect program so students can continue receiving a higher education.
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