UNC Asheville to offer free tuition to some in-state students. Who is eligible and when?

ASHEVILLE - Following in the footsteps of other UNC school systems, UNC Asheville announced Oct. 5 that it will offer free tuition and fees to some in-state students beginning next fall.

The school is calling it "Access Asheville," which is a new financial aid program that will make attending college "attainable" for low-and middle-income students, according to the news release.

"Access Asheville guarantees full tuition and fees coverage through grants and scholarships during fall and spring semesters for North Carolina residents whose adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less," the release said.

According to United States Census data, in 2021 the median household income in North Carolina was $60,516 and 33% of people ages 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher.

“This will provide an affordable path to pursue an undergraduate college degree for those who may have previously thought it would be out of reach financially,” UNCA Interim Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said in the release.

The UNC System lists in-state tuition and fees at UNCA as $7,292 for the 2023-24 academic year. The university said in the release that the program would provide more than $7,400 in annual savings for qualifying students of Access Asheville.

For the 2023-24 school year, UNCA has 2,907 students so far. Out of these students, 630 are first-time UNCA students.

How does it work?

The qualifications for Access Asheville are based on students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which verifies family income and North Carolina residency. The new program is available for up to eight semesters, and for transfers up to seven semesters, or until the degree is completed, the release said.

The application process is open now, UNCA spokesperson Michael Strysick told the Citizen Times in an Oct. 9 email.

Applicants must annually complete the FAFSA by March 1, and they must be a new first-year or transfer undergraduate student that's entering fall 2024 and pursuing their first bachelor's degree.

These also must be full-time students who are taking a courseload of at least 15 credit hours per semester, and recipients of it must keep a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Applicants can expect to hear from the Office of Admission and Financial Aid in late February or early March of 2024, according to the university's website.

To learn more about how to apply, students can visit Access Asheville - UNC Asheville.

Where else is tuition discounted?

Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University in Cullowhee is one of the original North Carolina Promise campuses, which launched in 2018, allowing universities to offer reduced tuition rates.

WCU’s tuition is set by the N.C. General Assembly at $500 per semester for all N.C. undergraduates and $2,500 per semester for all out of state undergraduates.

"The N.C. Promise tuition benefit applies to all undergraduates at WCU regardless of family income. Additionally, WCU offers the Catamount Commitment program, which provides grant funding for all eligible North Carolina freshmen, and other financial support to further offset college costs," WCU Provost Richard Starnes told the Citizen Times in July.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

A-B Tech spokesperson Kerri Glover told the Citizen Times in an Oct. 9 email that A-B Tech has one of the lowest tuition rates in the nation at only $76 per credit.

"Most of our students are eligible for financial aid and more than 400 scholarships, as well as emergency assistance. Tuition also is free for high school dual enrollment students," Glover said.

In May 2021 the state launched the Longleaf Commitment community college grant program that covers tuition for North Carolina high school graduates immediately following their graduation, according to Glover.

For North Carolina residents who are taking 16 credits or more, tuition at A-B Tech comes out to $1,216 a year, and for non-residents it's $4,288.

UNC Chapel Hill

UNC-Chapel Hill was at the center of the affirmative action in the college admissions Supreme Court case this summer. The Supreme Court ruled on June 29 that it's unlawful for colleges to take race into consideration as a specific factor in admissions.

A little more than a week after the ruling, UNC Chapel Hill announced it will provide free tuition to some undergraduate students.

On July 7 the university said it will provide free tuition and required fees for in-state undergraduates whose families make less than $80,000 per year — starting with the incoming class in 2024.

More: Answer Woman: How many students enrolled at Asheville colleges? Most popular majors?

More: Free tuition for some at Chapel Hill after Supreme Court ruling; What about WNC schools?

McKenna Leavens is the education reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at mleavens@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @LeavensMcKenna. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: UNC Asheville to offer free tuition for some students in fall 2024