Four Tuition-free Colleges in the U.S

This article is good news for U.S. parents who feel that their student cannot afford to attend a college. There are several tuition-free schools in the country where students will pay nothing for tuition. In fact, families with income over a certain amount need not apply to one of the schools on the list. It is an offer that students may not want to pass up.

Competition to get into these tuition-free liberal arts colleges is tough. The students who are accepted are not necessarily academic stars with 4.23 averages with maximum ACT or SAT scores. Some of the colleges on the list want to hear from students who have have overcome difficulties to achieve.

Some of the schools on this list may turn away as many as 75% or more of the applicants. However, the important part to remember is that students do get accepted to tuition-free schools. 

Antioch College

Yellow Spring, Ohio

This college has only recently begun offering a tuition-free liberal arts education. Although the school was founded by abolitionists in 1850, it closed its doors for a few years. After some restructuring, the college regrouped and began accepting students again in 2011.

Berea College

Berea, Kentucky

All students receive a full-tuition free scholarship to this college and must work 10 hours per week or more on the college campus. Books, room and board are not covered under the tuition-free scholarship program and must be paid for through financial aid or other means. The Rev. John Fee founded the school in 1855. This only a few years before the civil war and as such, Berea College was quite controversial. It was not only tuition-free but this southern school was the first to be interracial. Students who have families beyond a certain income need not apply. The income cap can be found online at the Berea College link above.

College of the Ozarks

This school has a similar work requirement to some of the other tuition-free colleges in this article. All of the student here work a minimum of 15 hours per week. The college was founded in 1906 by Presbyterian missionary James Forsythe and it is widely recognized for a strong athletics program and high quality education.

Cooper Union

Manhattan, NY

Like Berea College and the College of the Ozarks, this tuition-free college offers a four year program. Degrees are offered to students in the areas of art, architecture and degrees are also offered in engineering. Peter Cooper founded Cooper Union in 1858. He was the inventor of the first locomotive in the country and held the staunch belief that education should be free.

Tuition-free colleges allow students to meet their educational goals without the burden of a cumbersome debt load. This can be welcome news to families across the country. Each college has different admission deadlines and requirements. Click on the link for any of the schools in this article to learn more about them and their tuition-free education .