Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) has announced that this fall semester will be free for the first 500 students to enroll at the historically Black college.
This offer includes tuition, accommodation, and meals.
To be eligible for the grant, students only need to complete the admissions process, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and register for classes. The offer is open to both new and returning students.
“Nationally, according to the Brookings Institute, Black students average 46% higher debt than do their white counterparts upon graduation,” the university wrote. “With the additional resources now available, ABC is doing its part to reduce the indebtedness of its predominantly African American student body.”
The President of ABC, Dr. Carlos Clark, pointed out that the cost of higher education for many at the university remains high, even with the school’s low tuition.
Clark said, “Even though we have the lowest tuition of a private, four-year institution in the state, the cost of higher education is still a considerable sacrifice for our students and their families.”
Helping Students Secure Debt-Free Higher Education
The university revealed that this opportunity was made possible through Linda P. Chesterfield, an Arkansas State Senator who wrote legislation that secured $1 million in scholarships for the university and three other historically Black colleges and universities in the state.
A post on the university’s Facebook page also explained that several “student relief appropriations on both the Federal and State level” played a role.
Aside from the free semester, ABC is working on offering in-person classes and a full athletic schedule as a new member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics this fall.
