Free tuition programs for two-year college by state
Arkansas Future Grant
The Arkansas Future Grant is available on a first come, first serve basis, and is available to students who have lived in Arkansas for at least three years and those who graduated from an Arkansas public school. Otherwise, you must be enrolled in a degree program that leads to a high-demand field or a STEM field. Students also need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA form, to determine eligibility. This program aims to cover tuition and fees for eligible Arkansas students pursuing a certificate or Associate’s degree.
California Promise
The California Promise program is limited to California residents who are pursuing two-year and four-year degrees in California public schools. This program is for students who can prove financial need, and additional requirements apply. For example, enrolled students must agree to meet with college advisors, stick with an education plan, and complete 30 semester units per academic year in order to receive this financial assistance.
Delaware SEED Program
The SEED program, which stands for Student Excellence Equals Degree, allows eligible Delaware students to attend public community colleges in the state tuition-free. To qualify, you must meet specific Delaware residency requirements, maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale, and avoid having been convicted of any felony charges. You also need to fill out a FAFSA form in order to determine financial eligibility.
Hawaii Promise Scholarship
The Hawaii Promise Scholarship aims to provide free in-state tuition for qualified University of Hawaii Community College students who have financial need. This program covers direct education costs including tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation for eligible students. You need to fill out a FAFSA form to determine eligibility, and this is a “last dollar” scholarship, meaning it will cover tuition costs after other forms of aid have been exhausted.
Indiana 21st Century Scholars Program
The 21st Century Scholars Program is available to Indiana residents who are enrolled in the 7th or 8th grade at an Indiana public or private school. This program offers up to four years of tuition at public colleges in the state, and it intends to help middle school students stay on a college path throughout high school. Academic requirements apply, as do income limits that vary by family size. In 2020, for example, this program is only available for students in a household with four people with an income below $47,638
Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program
The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program is for Kentucky students who are pursuing degrees in select fields including health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation/logistics, business services/IT, and construction. This program kicks in to provide financial aid after other forms of aid have been exhausted.
Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship
The Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship is another state-based program that intends to help Maryland students cover the cost of higher education once other forms of aid have been exhausted. Students must also have an unweighted GPA of at least 2.3 and choose to pursue a degree-granting program at a community college in the state. Income limits also apply and depend on marital status and household size.
MnSCU Two-Year Occupational Grant Pilot Program
Minnesota students can look into the MnSCU Two-Year Occupational Grant Pilot Program, which provides financial assistance to students enrolled in a two-year school in the state. This is another “last dollar” program, meaning the funding kicks in after other grants and aid you might receive when you fill out a FAFSA form. Income limits apply.
Missouri A+ Scholarship
The Missouri A+ Scholarship is open to eligible Missouri residents who agree to attend designated A+ schools. Additional eligibility requirements apply for these need-based grants, including a good attendance record, an unpaid tutoring or mentoring requirement, and proof of financial need.
Montana Promise Act
Students who plan to attend two-year tribal and community colleges should look into the Montana Promise Act. This act provides last dollar assistance good for tuition and living expenses for eligible students.
New York Excelsior Scholarship
New York also has a tuition-free degree program known as the Excelsior Scholarship. This program is available to students whose families earn less than $125,000 per year, and it’s applicable to all two-year and four-year CUNY and SUNY schools in the state. You have to take 30 credits per calendar year to qualify.
Nevada Promise Scholarship
The Nevada Promise Scholarship offers last dollar aid to students attending any of the four Nevada community colleges. This program comes with eligibility requirements, including a requirement for some community service. You must fill out a FAFSA form to determine eligibility.
NCTAP
NCTAP is an apprenticeship program designed to develop experts needed in the modern workforce. The NCTAP program, based in North Carolina’s Triangle area, focuses on integrated basic training which develops technical, methodological, and social skills
Oklahoma’s Promise
Oklahoma’s Promise is available to Oklahoma residents who are enrolled in the 8th, 9th, or 10th grade. Household adjusted gross income cannot exceed $55,000 in order to qualify, and this promise leads to scholarships for college tuition. Other requirements apply, including the completion of specific high school coursework throughout the program.
The Oregon Promise Grant
Oregon residents who want some financial assistance for school should consider the Oregon Promise Grant. This program covers community college tuition costs. Income limits apply, and students must have a 2.50 cumulative GPA or higher throughout high school to qualify.
Rhode Island Promise
The Rhode Island Promise program paves the way for Rhode Island high school students to attend community college tuition-free. This program is available to students who plan to enroll in college full-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, earn 30 credits per year or more, and enroll every semester for two years. You must fill out a FAFSA form and apply for this program to qualify.
Tennessee Promise
Tennessee also has its own program known as the Tennessee Promise. This program is a scholarship program with a mentoring component, and the last dollar help it provides can cover tuition costs and fees after other forms of aid are exhausted. This program is available to Tennessee residents who attend any community college in the state and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Washington College Bound
The state of Washington also has its own program known as College Bound. This last dollar program will help cover tuition and fees at eligible Washington schools. Students in 7th and 8th grade whose families meet income requirements can apply, but they must reapply again and fill out a FAFSA form as they prepare to move into college coursework.
The Arkansas Future Grant is available on a first come, first serve basis, and is available to students who have lived in Arkansas for at least three years and those who graduated from an Arkansas public school. Otherwise, you must be enrolled in a degree program that leads to a high-demand field or a STEM field. Students also need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA form, to determine eligibility. This program aims to cover tuition and fees for eligible Arkansas students pursuing a certificate or Associate’s degree.
California Promise
The California Promise program is limited to California residents who are pursuing two-year and four-year degrees in California public schools. This program is for students who can prove financial need, and additional requirements apply. For example, enrolled students must agree to meet with college advisors, stick with an education plan, and complete 30 semester units per academic year in order to receive this financial assistance.
Delaware SEED Program
The SEED program, which stands for Student Excellence Equals Degree, allows eligible Delaware students to attend public community colleges in the state tuition-free. To qualify, you must meet specific Delaware residency requirements, maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale, and avoid having been convicted of any felony charges. You also need to fill out a FAFSA form in order to determine financial eligibility.
Hawaii Promise Scholarship
The Hawaii Promise Scholarship aims to provide free in-state tuition for qualified University of Hawaii Community College students who have financial need. This program covers direct education costs including tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation for eligible students. You need to fill out a FAFSA form to determine eligibility, and this is a “last dollar” scholarship, meaning it will cover tuition costs after other forms of aid have been exhausted.
Indiana 21st Century Scholars Program
The 21st Century Scholars Program is available to Indiana residents who are enrolled in the 7th or 8th grade at an Indiana public or private school. This program offers up to four years of tuition at public colleges in the state, and it intends to help middle school students stay on a college path throughout high school. Academic requirements apply, as do income limits that vary by family size. In 2020, for example, this program is only available for students in a household with four people with an income below $47,638
Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program
The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program is for Kentucky students who are pursuing degrees in select fields including health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation/logistics, business services/IT, and construction. This program kicks in to provide financial aid after other forms of aid have been exhausted.
Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship
The Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship is another state-based program that intends to help Maryland students cover the cost of higher education once other forms of aid have been exhausted. Students must also have an unweighted GPA of at least 2.3 and choose to pursue a degree-granting program at a community college in the state. Income limits also apply and depend on marital status and household size.
MnSCU Two-Year Occupational Grant Pilot Program
Minnesota students can look into the MnSCU Two-Year Occupational Grant Pilot Program, which provides financial assistance to students enrolled in a two-year school in the state. This is another “last dollar” program, meaning the funding kicks in after other grants and aid you might receive when you fill out a FAFSA form. Income limits apply.
Missouri A+ Scholarship
The Missouri A+ Scholarship is open to eligible Missouri residents who agree to attend designated A+ schools. Additional eligibility requirements apply for these need-based grants, including a good attendance record, an unpaid tutoring or mentoring requirement, and proof of financial need.
Montana Promise Act
Students who plan to attend two-year tribal and community colleges should look into the Montana Promise Act. This act provides last dollar assistance good for tuition and living expenses for eligible students.
New York Excelsior Scholarship
New York also has a tuition-free degree program known as the Excelsior Scholarship. This program is available to students whose families earn less than $125,000 per year, and it’s applicable to all two-year and four-year CUNY and SUNY schools in the state. You have to take 30 credits per calendar year to qualify.
Nevada Promise Scholarship
The Nevada Promise Scholarship offers last dollar aid to students attending any of the four Nevada community colleges. This program comes with eligibility requirements, including a requirement for some community service. You must fill out a FAFSA form to determine eligibility.
NCTAP
NCTAP is an apprenticeship program designed to develop experts needed in the modern workforce. The NCTAP program, based in North Carolina’s Triangle area, focuses on integrated basic training which develops technical, methodological, and social skills
Oklahoma’s Promise
Oklahoma’s Promise is available to Oklahoma residents who are enrolled in the 8th, 9th, or 10th grade. Household adjusted gross income cannot exceed $55,000 in order to qualify, and this promise leads to scholarships for college tuition. Other requirements apply, including the completion of specific high school coursework throughout the program.
The Oregon Promise Grant
Oregon residents who want some financial assistance for school should consider the Oregon Promise Grant. This program covers community college tuition costs. Income limits apply, and students must have a 2.50 cumulative GPA or higher throughout high school to qualify.
Rhode Island Promise
The Rhode Island Promise program paves the way for Rhode Island high school students to attend community college tuition-free. This program is available to students who plan to enroll in college full-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, earn 30 credits per year or more, and enroll every semester for two years. You must fill out a FAFSA form and apply for this program to qualify.
Tennessee Promise
Tennessee also has its own program known as the Tennessee Promise. This program is a scholarship program with a mentoring component, and the last dollar help it provides can cover tuition costs and fees after other forms of aid are exhausted. This program is available to Tennessee residents who attend any community college in the state and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Washington College Bound
The state of Washington also has its own program known as College Bound. This last dollar program will help cover tuition and fees at eligible Washington schools. Students in 7th and 8th grade whose families meet income requirements can apply, but they must reapply again and fill out a FAFSA form as they prepare to move into college coursework.
