COTC to offer free tuition for many Knox County residents

Knox County students just scored free college.

Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) announced the “Knox Promise” of free college to eligible students in the county. While college is not “free” for every Knox resident, the new program does promise to cover any gap between financial need and total financial aid awarded. Students must have lived in Knox County for at least one year, and filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) among other eligibility requirements. COTC is a fully accredited, public college offering “high-tech, in-demand college education” with degrees in over 50 programs including engineering technology, nursing and healthcare, and business.

For students with annual family income under $60,000 reported on the current FAFSA, all tuition will be covered. The Promise begins in the upcoming Fall semester, and counts for existing or returning COTC students.

“This investment in the future of our community is an investment in our neighbors, children and friends,” said COTC President John M. Berry, PhD.

“COTC’s Knox Promise will provide an economic pipeline for local workforce development,” said Ariel Foundation Executive Director Jen Odenweller. Funding was made possible through the Ariel Foundation, past and present COTC board members Mark and Denise Ramser and Gordy and Fran Yance, and the Knox County Foundation.

According to Knox County Foundation Executive Director Jeffrey Scott, “The Knox Promise will not only help individuals build strong futures, it will help build a stronger future for all of Knox County.”

COTC’s Knox Campus is located in downtown Mount Vernon, where Ariel Hall offers 15 classrooms plus other laboratories and specific technical spaces. Knox Promise students are not restricted to Knox campus, but can enroll on any COTC campus or online.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: COTC to offer free tuition for many Knox County residents