Nebraska State Colleges Extend Free Tuition Offer to Freshmen
Beginning this fall, incoming first-year students attending any of
Nebraska’s three state colleges — Wayne State College, Peru State
College, or Chadron State College — may see their dreams of a
college education come true with a little help from the state, the
Omaha World-Herald reports (“3 Colleges to Waive Tuition for Some
Freshmen,” March 8, 2009).
Nearly one-third of all students in the Nebraska State College
System receive federal Pell Grant funding, but only Pell-eligible
first-year students will have their first year of tuition covered
under the new Nebraska State College System Advantage Program. The
state college system will pick up the tab for these students’
tuition expenses where their Pell Grant funding leaves off.
“With the recent economic downturn, access to college has become
more challenging and this program will assist first-time freshmen in
their pursuit of earning a degree,” said Bill Roskens, NSCS board
chairman (“Nebraska State Colleges Offer Free Freshman Tuition,”
KCUA-TV, March 3, 2009).
Students must meet five criteria to qualify for the NSCS Advantage
Program:
- They must be a Nebraska resident
- They must be a recipient of a federal Pell Grant
- They must be a first-time first-year student attending a NSCS school during the 2009–10 school year
- They may not be a transfer student
- They must be enrolled in at least 12 on-campus credit hours
Students can continue to receive this tuition assistance throughout
their college career as long as they remain eligible to receive
federal Pell Grant awards and as long as they continue to enroll in
at least 12 credit hours.
“We are attempting to remove the financial barriers many [of our
students] face,” said NSCS Chancellor Stan Carpenter, by only
requiring students to pay for textbooks, supplies, and room and
board.
College officials believe the Nebraska initiative also has the
potential to increase enrollment and encourage more students to
remain in the state.
Lois Brunnert, a first-generation college student who relies on
financial aid to attend Wayne State, agrees.
“It’s going to allow [students] to have more time to save up money,”
Brunnert said. “And it’s going to probably help students continue
with their financial aid.”