30 Tuition Free Colleges You Can Attend (Yes, They Do Exist!)

Starting your career post-graduation without student debt hanging over your head is a dream. And you can turn it into a reality when you attend tuition-free colleges! 😄

This is a great option for low-income or first-generation families, state residents, and students willing to work in exchange for free education — even at prestigious institutions, minus the hefty cost.

Ready to explore your options? Check out these 30 tuition free colleges in the US where you can earn a four-year degree, plus other ways to get higher education at no cost. 🎓

What Does Tuition-Free College Mean?

A tuition free college means eligible students aren’t charged course or credit fees, but may still have to pay for other costs of attendance, such as meal plans, student fees, and room and board. 

Students can enjoy free tuition when they fit any of these criteria:

Demonstrated financial need
Work to earn tuition
Choose to attend a school in-state

But how can a college afford to give away education? Often, colleges can cover the cost through endowments (funds from organizational or individual donors), federal aid, and generous alumni donations. Students can cover whatever remains after removing tuition costs with additional grants and scholarships. 👍

Ivy Leagues and Top-Ranked Schools Offering Free Tuition

1. Duke University 

Low-income North and South Carolinians wanting to attend Duke University can have their wishes granted with the institution’s expanded financial support program. An annual investment of $6 million to $7 million is set aside to accommodate more students. 

Students with family incomes of $150,000 or less per year can enjoy 100 percent free tuition. Meanwhile, those from family incomes of $65,000 and below enjoy free tuition plus financial aid for other college costs, like housing and meal plans. 🏘️

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Did you know you can pursue your studies at the prestigious MIT tuition free? 😲 More than half of MIT students receive scholarships, while 35 percent are awarded need-based aid thanks to support like endowments and alumni gifts.

As one of the tuition free colleges in the US, MIT awards need-based aid to students from families with income and assets below $140,000 a year. Apply for FAFSA and the College Board’s College Scholarship Service (CSS) to be automatically considered for free tuition and funding for housing (in some cases). ✍️

3. Stanford University

Your ambition to have a Stanford education is made possible with the university offering tuition free education for families with assets and income equal to less than $150,000. 

Stanford’s financial aid options are need-based, using factors like your family income, family size, and family members in college as determinants for your eligibility. Plus, around 99 percent of students from families with an annual income of $75,000 to $100,000 qualify for Stanford’s scholarship aid. 👍

4. Princeton University

There’s nothing better than paying nothing for higher education, especially at an Ivy League like Princeton. This university fully covers the tuition plus room and board for students coming from families earning up to $100,000 per year. 

However, Princeton still considers applicants from families earning a maximum of $180,000 annually for financial aid based on the student’s and family’s financial circumstances. This tuition assistance is available for international undergraduates, not just domestic freshmen. 🌏

5. Yale University

Yale makes its high-ranking education programs accessible to everyone with its financial aid offer. How? It awards funding to any student in need, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.

Students with parents earning below $75,000 are qualified for free tuition, fees, housing, food, travel, hospitalization insurance, and a $2,000 grant during their freshman year. 😲

6. Harvard University

One of the most prestigious universities in the world has a reputation for being expensive, but promising students from low-income families, regardless of citizenship, still get a shot at enrolling at Harvard tuition free. 

Accepted students will work with an assigned financial aid officer for an overview of how to afford Harvard. Here’s a quick guide: pay nothing if your family income is less than $85,000, and pay up to 10 percent of your family income if your earnings are between $85,000 and $150,000. 💰

7. Brown University

Most students need around $91,000 per academic year to attend Brown University full-time. But don’t let that stop you, as undergraduates from households earning up to $125,000 annually have a shot at tuition free scholarships. 👍

However, Brown prioritizes covering the whole cost of attendance for students from families with a total annual income below $60,000 — making this one of the best tuition free colleges for people from low-income backgrounds.

8. Columbia University

Almost half of Columbia University’s students receive grants or need-based scholarships with an average worth of $65,756 — a huge help since you need approximately $90,000 per year to attend this Ivy League. Aside from that, full tuition coverage plus a start-up grant of $2,000 for freshmen from low-income families (with annual earnings and assets below $150,000) is also offered. 🤩

9. Vanderbilt University

Studying at a top-ranked school minus the stellar price can be done at Vanderbilt University, especially for families with assets and income below $150,000. To qualify,  fill out the FAFSA and the College Board’s College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile for the school to determine the financial aid amount to provide. ✔️

The Opportunity Vanderbilt program makes it possible for students from low-income families to attend the university with a full tuition scholarship plus assistance in housing and other items in the cost of attendance.

Other Tuition Free Colleges for Students With Demonstrated Need

Demonstrated need equals the total cost of attendance at a college minus the Student Aid Index (formerly called the Expected Family Contribution). This covers everything from direct costs, such as tuition, fees, food, and housing, to indirect costs, like books and laundry.  

Figuring this out helps schools know how much financial aid you need that can come in handy for eligibility for tuition free offers or scholarships. 💯

10. Barclay College

Imagine getting paid to learn on a spacious campus with manicured lawns — that’s what you’ll get at Barclay College. All full-time on-campus students receive a full tuition scholarship worth $20,000. 🏫

In addition, those students with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher can receive an annual $1,000 scholarship for room and board. Meanwhile, full-time students living off-campus get a $10,000 scholarship. These make Barclay one of the most generous tuition free colleges thanks to alumni and supporters. 👏

11. Berea College

Would you believe that Berea College students haven’t paid any tuition since 1892? 😲 This private, liberal arts school is an ideal option for low-income or first-generation families, making money to fund aid through endowments, state and federal grants, and annual donations.

To be admitted, students must complete the FAFSA and have good academic records, such as scoring between 20 to 30 on the ACT or its SAT equivalent. However, incoming students may also apply test-optional. 

12. Curtis Institute of Music

Receiving news of your acceptance into one of the best tuition free colleges must be like music to the ears, just like the Curtis Institute of Music charging nothing for tuition. 🎶

Its student population of around 200 promising young musicians are all merit-based full-tuition scholars who get personalized feedback to hone their craft without the stress of student debt. Living expenses aren’t covered, but need-based financial aid is available to help with these.

13. Texas A&M University

Texas A&M is the first public research institution in Texas, established in 1876, and has provided tuition assistance to families in need since 2008.

Look for the Aggie Assurance commitment: a program covering the tuition and fees of in-state college students with a yearly family income of $60,000 or below. Your eligibility is based on your information on the FAFSA and Texas Application for State Financial Aid. 📃

Colleges Where You Can Work for Your Tuition

14. Antioch College

Since 2020, Antioch College has offered full tuition last-dollar scholarships to Pell Grant-eligible students, referring to new and returning undergraduates who filled out the FAFSA due to financial need and have never earned any degree. 

Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA with a course completion rate of at least 67 percent while putting in 10 hours of weekly work on campus or in the community. 🕝 Scholarship recipients are expected to pay for on-campus housing and meal plans but may receive grants to help with their expenses depending on their family income. 

15. Alice Lloyd College

The Appalachian region struggles with poverty, so Alice Lloyd College stepped in to help improve the lives of student residents, typically from low-income or first-generation families, with leadership education and free tuition. 

This federally recognized work collegerequires its full-time students to work on-campus for at least 10 hours weekly in exchange for graduating with little to no debt. 👏

16. College of the Ozarks

Students at College of the Ozarks can build up their savings and gain valuable work experience thanks to the school’s tuition free program. 💰

Here’s how it works: students don’t pay any tuition fees and graduate without student debt by working 15 hours per week on-campus, plus two 40-hour work weeks per school year in any of its 80+ departments, such as IT or the Child Development Center.

17. US Air Force Academy

Entire college cost of attendance paid? Check. Serving the country? Check. Guaranteed job after graduation? Check. These are what you’ll find as a cadet at the US Air Force Academy. 🧑‍✈️

The price you pay in exchange for those benefits is your commitment: you need to devote five years as a commissioned officer in the US Air Force or US Space Force and another three years as an inactive reserve individual after completing your training.

18. US Coast Guard Academy

One of the best tuition free colleges is the US Coast Guard Academy, where you’ll be on your way to be a lookout for security threats in the seas. Your tuition and room and board are covered, on top of receiving a monthly stipend of around $2,900.💰 Just like in the US Air Force, you need to commit at least five years as a commissioned Coast Guard officer after graduation in exchange for these benefits.

19. US Merchant Marine Academy

Imagine a tuition free college where you get rewarded for pursuing higher education. That’s what you’ll find at the US Merchant Marine Academy, where the students, called midshipmen regardless of sex, have their tuition, room and board, uniforms, textbooks, and dental and medical care covered for free. 💯

Only US citizens younger than 25 years old can enroll in the academy. After completing studies in fields ranging from humanities to marine engineering, midshipmen devote five years of service after graduation as part of the deal.

20. US Military Academy at West Point

If a traditional university or trade school doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps enrolling in the US Military Academy is the right fit. Cadets learn the usual college subjects along with the fundamentals of army operations to prepare for a career in the military. 🪖

Here’s an added perk: All cadets have a fully funded education plus an annual stipend of more than $10,000 and graduate as army officers. Incoming freshmen must pay $8,400 for their uniforms, supplies, and other requirements, but these costs can be offset with scholarships.

21. US Naval Academy

The US Naval Academy is another one of those tuition free colleges that require a five-year active duty service after you’ve completed your studies. This can be a great option for those who aspire to work in the prestigious Marine Corps. With a 100 percent employment rate post-graduation plus increasing stipends each year, you’ll likely end up graduating debt-free.

22. Warren Wilson College

“Milepost One” is more than just a marker at Warren Wilson College: it’s a full free tuition program open for 25 lucky students from families earning $150,000 or less, regardless of citizenship status. The basic requirements to qualify are to be a first-timer, full-time, on-campus freshman or transferee during the fall term and to fill out the FAFSA. You’ll maintain eligibility as long as you join the school’s work program and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Tuition-Free Colleges for Locals

23. Arizona State University

Aside from scholarships and state grants, ASU provides tuition free college for students from low-income families under the ASU College Attainment Grant Program. This allows eligible students to complete college for little to no student debt as long as they maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Fresh high school graduates who are Pell Grant-eligible Arizona residents or Native Americans who fit the state’s residency criteria must immediately apply as full-time freshmen for the fall semester to qualify. 🍂

24. Haskell Indian Nations University

Founded in 1844, Haskell is one of the tuition free colleges made especially for the federally recognized American Indians and Alaska Natives in the US. New students undergo verification during admissions to access education benefits, either showing proof of membership in a federally recognized tribe or proof of at least one-fourth total degree of Indian blood descent of an enrolled tribal member. ✅

25. University of New Hampshire

Calling all New Hampshire residents! First-time, full-time college students who are eligible for a Pell Grant must submit their FAFSA to get a shot at tuition free attendance at the University of New Hampshire under the Granite Guarantee program. 🏫
While you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket for the fees, housing, meal plans, and textbooks, this financial aid can still help you complete college with little to no debt. There’s no GPA to maintain; only your residency, Pell Grant eligibility, and full-time status matter.

26. Webb Institute

Webb Institute is unique because it only teaches one academic program: a dual bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Plus, it offers full-tuition scholarships to domestic students and permanent residents. 😲
You’ll have to pay other fees, such as living expenses and travel, worth around $24,000. However, these can be offset by the wide range of financial aid the school offers.

BONUS: Tuition Free Schools

27. The Apprentice School

Earn as you learn at The Apprentice School which offers shipbuilding programs — an institution associated with the Newport News Shipbuilding under Huntington Ingalls Industries. While accepted apprentices won’t have to pay tuition, they need to pay for their safety workwear and necessary tools for the program, like a personal computer. 💻

28. Williamson College of the Trades

Some famous CEO dropouts advise taking the trade school route instead, so why not give the  Williamson College of the Trades a go? All students receive a need-based scholarship covering the costs of tuition and board after filling out the FAFSA. However, only men below 21 years old have been admitted to this private men’s junior vocational college since its establishment in 1888. 🧍

READ MORE: 12 Best Quotes About Not Going to College (Plus Practical Alternatives)

29. City College of San Francisco

Attending community college before transferring to a university is one way to reduce student debt due to its affordability.

In San Francisco, residents or qualified non-residents who are either first-time college students or returnees can enroll tuition free in the City College of San Francisco’s Free City program. Fees for things like health care and student activities aren’t covered, so make sure to complete the FAFSA or California Dream Application for financial aid.

30. Deep Springs College

Studying at Deep Springs College is a unique experience. Around 30 students, regardless of their financial or citizenship background, gather to learn in a secluded cattle ranch where each one is admitted with tuition and room and board expenses fully paid. 

Following the school’s pillars of Labor, Academics, and Self-Governance, students are in charge of admin work (like hiring faculty and reviewing student performance) and devote around 20 hours of manual labor around the farm and ranch per week. 🧑‍🌾

Are There Other Ways to Go to College for Free?

There are multiple ways to attend college for free, aside from enlisting in the military, joining a work-study program, or applying for grants and scholarships to cover your entire cost of attendance. Here are other options:

Find a fast-food job with tuition assistance. Large corporations typically provide a maximum of $5,250 for online degree programs to their part-time and full-time employees.
Get employment at a college. Perks like discounted or free tuition can be extended to you as part of the school staff or if you have a parent working at that educational institution.
Enroll in a high-demand program. An industry with a great demand for workers will likely sponsor your education. For example, state governments cover tuition, fees, and materials to address its healthcare labor shortage through initiatives like Care Forward Colorado.

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Extra work — whether in the form of a high GPA or manual labor for your school — is the typical price you pay for attending tuition free colleges. But with higher education costs at an all-time high, it’s wise to be money-smart and graduate with work experience. 👍

Tuition Free Colleges You Can Attend: Frequently Asked Questions