Colleges that offer full rides for low income students

Is it really possible to go to college for free?

The answer is yes.

Why Offer Free Or Reduced College Tuition

Here are 30 colleges that offer free or reduced tuition - and what you need to know.

With college tuition costs reaching an all-time high and student loan debt continuing to climb, many colleges and universities now offer free or reduced tuition for students. Some scholarships are merit-based, while other grants are need-based.

The goal is to provide increased access to higher education for students regardless of their financial profile, and to limit the amount of student loan debt that a student has to borrow.

According to Make Lemonade, there are more than 44 million borrowers who collectively owe $1.5 trillion of student loans. In addition to free or reduced tuition, many colleges have instituted "no student loans" financial aid policies.

"No student loans" financial aid packages generally seek to replace student loans with grants or scholarships that do not have to be repaid. "No student loans" does not necessarily mean that a college eliminates student loans from financial aid packages. For example, some universities require a minimum student contribution or part-time employment while others require a parental contribution.  That minimum student or parental contribution can be met through loans.

If you need to borrow a student loan, make sure you understand the "true cost" of your student loans. This student loan calculator can help you calculate your monthly and total cost of your student loans.

30 Colleges With Free Or Reduced Tuition

While this list is not comprehensive, here are 30 colleges (in alphabetical order) that offer free tuition, reduced tuition or "no student loans" financial aid policies for undergraduates. For more information, you can visit the financial aid website of each college:

1. Alice Lloyd College

• Students at Alice Lloyd attend tuition-free
• Founded "as a college for Appalachia," students are required to work at least 160 hours per semester in an on-campus job or in the local community.

2. Amherst College

• This year, Amherst is providing more than $50 million in scholarship aid to 55% of the student body.
• In its financial aid packages, Amherst replaced all loans with scholarship grants.

3. Berea College

• Every student can receive a four-year tuition scholarship
• Each student must work 10 hours per week

4. Bowdoin College

• More than 50% of the Class of 2021 received a Bowdoin Grant.

5. Brown University

• For all Brown-packaged financial aid awards, starting in the 2018-2019 academic year, Brown replaced student loans with scholarship funds (that do not have to be repaid) for all returning and incoming undergraduates.

6. College of the Ozarks

• Students attend tuition-free at the College of the Ozarks.
• Each student must work 15 hours per week.

7. Columbia University

• For students with family income of less than $60,000 annually and typical assets, parents are not expected to contribute to the cost of attendance.
• 50% of Columbia students receive grants from Columbia.

8. Cornell University

• Students with a family income less than $60,000 and total assets of less than $100,000 (including primary home equity) will have no parent contribution.

9. Dartmouth College

• Students from families with total income of $100,000 or less and possessing typical assets receive free tuition.

10. Duke University

• Students with a family income of $60,000 or less and typical assets will have no expected parent contribution.

11. Harvard University

• Most students graduate debt-free, and Harvard does not expect its students to take out loans as part of financial aid packages.
  
• Students with a family income from $65,000 to $150,000 will typically contribute from 0-10% of their income.

12. Haverford College

• For students with a family income less than $60,000, Haverford will not include a loan expectation as a resource before determining eligibility for Haverford Grant funds.

13. Macaulay Honors College at City University of New York

• Each student receives a merit-based, tuition-free scholarship to attend this liberal arts college.
• Students also receive a laptop computer, Cultural Passport and access to the Opportunities Fund.

14. Northwestern University

• The University awarded $144 million to undergraduate students in 2016-17, and approximately 45% of undergraduates received a Northwestern University Scholarship.

15. Pomona College

• Students are not required to borrow a loan to meet the cost of attending Pomona.

16. Princeton University

• Students with a family income less than $65,000 qualify for a grant to cover full tuition, residential college fee, room and board

17. Rice University

• For students with a family income between $65,000 and $130,000, Rice will provide full scholarships.
• For students with a family income below $65,000, Rice will cover tuition and room and board, plus any other fees
• For students with a family income between $130,000 and $200,000, Rice will provide grants covering at least 50% of tuition

18. Stanford University

• Stanford does not expect students to borrow student loans to meet college costs.
• Scholarship from Stanford is the primary source of funding used to assist students with meeting their educational costs.

19. Swarthmore College

• Nearly 60% of the entering class received need-based Swarthmore Scholarship aid.

20. Texas A&M

• Through the Aggie Assurance, students whose family earn less than $60,000 receive scholarships and grants to cover at least tuition costs.

21. Tufts University

• Students with a family income less than $60,000 will typically receive a financial aid package that includes no student loans.
• Tufts Grants exceeded $70 million in 2015-16 and were by far the largest source of grant aid received by Tufts undergraduates.

22. University of Chicago

• Need-based financial aid involves no loans
• Financial aid is awarded as grants, which do not need to be repaid.

23. University of North Carolina

• Students with a family income below 200% of the federal poverty line (about $48,500 for a family of four) may be eligible for The Carolina Covenant.

24. University of Pennsylvania

• Penn’s Grant-Based Program provides students with a financial aid award (up to financial need) that includes grants and work-study, but not loans.

25. Vanderbilt University

• Vanderbilt offers additional grant assistance instead of need-based student loans.
• Vanderbilt's grant assistance does not involve income bands or "cut-offs" that impact or limit eligibility.

26. Washington University-St. Louis

• Students with a family income less than $75,000 receive grants (instead of student loans) that will not have to be repaid.

27. Wellesley College

• Wellesley students with the greatest financial need do not receive student loans.
• Wellesley lowers loan packages by one-third for many other students.

28. Wesleyan University

• Most students with a family income less than $60,000 will receive a financial aid package without loans.
• Most students with a family income between $60,000 and $80,000 will receive a reduced loan package.

29. Williams College

• Students with a family income less than $75,000 and typical assets receive no-loan financial aid packages.

30. Yale University

• Yale does not expect students to take out student loans.
• Yale financial aid awards include a Yale Scholarship, a parent contribution and a small student contribution.

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