Attend College for Free
Students dreaming of attending college for free don’t have to hold their breath for the recent federal free community college proposal to be enacted — if it ever is.
There are already ways to attend university without paying tuition. Some strategies exist for military veterans, retirees and other nontraditional students. Others are available to bargain hunters willing to look online, through their employers or even abroad.
1. Explore a Tuition-Free College
A number of schools are tuition-free. In exchange, students may have to work on campus.
Online, the University of the People is an accredited, tuition-free institution, offering associate and bachelor’s degrees in computer science and business administration.
2. Take Advantage of Veterans’ Benefits
Military veterans can cover colleges costs through various GI Bill programs, depending on length of service, dates served and other factors.
3. Check out a Service Academy
Service academies, such as the United States Air Force Academy and United States Military Academy, called West Point, charge no tuition in exchange for postgraduate service. Gaining entry is typically competitive, and most academies require a nomination from a member of Congress or other authority.
Outstanding students in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps may also receive full college funding, based on merit.
4. Tap Your Employer Benefits
Attending college — or going back to school — can be as simple as asking your boss for funds. Among employers, 54 percent offered undergraduate tuition assistance in 2014 and 50 percent offered graduate assistance, according to a report from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Employer tuition benefits may cover just one class per semester or up to the full cost of attendance. They may even be used to pursue online learning.
5. Get the Senior Discount
Retirees may be able to take courses for free, and avoid taking on student debt, through tuition waivers and audits aimed at older students.
While students in many of these programs don’t earn course credits, those enrolled in the Pennsylvania State University system’s Go-60 Program can earn credit. Students typically need to cover books and other fees.
6. Look Abroad
Some overseas universities, including public institutions in Finland, Germany and Norway, charge no tuition to domestic and international students.
Students will likely have to pay for living expenses, which can take a bite out of budgets. They may also need to prepare for a very different university experience, including declaring a major early on and forgoing a traditional American residential campus experience.
7. Go for a Gap Year
If completing an entire degree abroad is too strong of a commitment, several colleges also fund gap year study, a period of volunteering, traveling or working between high school and college.
For example, the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill awards $7,500 to several early admissions students to fund its Global Gap Year Fellowship.
8. Sign up for a MOOC
Massive open online courses, called MOOCs, are typically free and available to anyone with access to a computer and Internet connection.
Although they aren’t often offered for credit, MOOCs are a way for students to pursue interests. Some students may be able to test out a degree, such as an MBA.
9. Land a Scholarship
Outstanding students can apply to have tuition covered through college scholarships. While private scholarships get a lot of the glory, don’t forget to research institutional full-tuition scholarships as well.
Funding may be available for students in your discipline, including scholarships for students of medicine, nursing and agriculture.
10. Claim Aid as a Community College Student
Low-income students who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid may already qualify for free community college.
Here’s how: The average tuition at an in-district community college was $3,347 in 2014-2015, according to the College Board. The maximum federal Pell Grant, which doesn’t need to be repaid, was $5,730 for the same academic year. Students who qualify for the full amount can use that federal grant to cover tuition, fees, books and living expenses at a community college.
Learn More About Paying for College
Even students who don’t score free college tuition can work to tamp down college costs.
Explore more resources on student loans and financial aid online. And join the conversation by following U.S. News Education on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
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Discover Ways to Attend Classes or Earn a Degree for Free originally appeared on usnews.com
