Students successfully completing “Promise” program pay no tuition; makes Yavapai Community College the most affordable Community College in Arizona
Yavapai Community College is moving ahead with its program that will provide degree seeking students an opportunity to attend tuition-free. The program is restricted to County residents. This fall, according to Vice President Clint Ewell, more than 300 new students are in the program. It does not apply to students seeking certificates.
In addition to County residency, students must meet certain other requirements if they are to participate in the program. For example, they must complete their degree within seven semesters after graduation from high school.
The program provides eligible students a last dollar scholarship, meaning it will cover tuition not otherwise covered by Federal, State, Yavapai College, or other 3rd party (for example, high school, Yavapai College Foundation, Tribe, employer) grants, discounts, or scholarships. However, the program will reimburse no more than 61 credits of the tuition paid by a student.
When an eligible student completes his or her coursework after seven semesters of high school or GED graduation, any tuition that was paid out-of-pocket for tuition will be reimbursed. The program is strictly limited to tuition. It does not reimburse other related expenses including, but not limited to, books, course and program fees, or other cost of living expenses such as transportation, food, and housing.
The courses taken by the student must have been paid for by the student or the student’s family, not any other source.
Courses must have been taken from Yavapai College (reimbursement does not apply for transfer credits) after high school graduation or GED completion.
There is no reimbursements for repeated courses or for Developmental Education credits.
Aerospace Science majors and courses are not eligible (including Fixed Wing, Rotor, Unmanned, and Air Traffic).
Students are responsible to pay all their expenses up front (tuition and fees, books, cost of living). As already noted, it does not apply to certificate seeking students.
It is not clear what the final cost to the Community College will be for this program. It may be minimal because most students are eligible for Pell grants, which already pay for tuition. However, the College won’t know the full impact on on its budget until two years from now when the first crop of “Promise” students graduate.
Sources: Yavapai Community College “What is the YC Promise?” Click here to go to that web page. Yavapai Community College October 8, 2019 District Governing Board meeting.