Warren Wilson College plans to offer free tuition for in-state students who qualify for any state or federal grants.
The policy, called the North Carolina Free Tuition Plan, will go into effect fall 2018.
Janelle Holmboe, vice president for enrollment and marketing at Warren Wilson, said the program will cover expenses left over after the students’ outside financial aid is applied.
“Any student who is a North Carolina resident who is determined to qualify for either a federal or North Carolina state need-based grant is eligible,” she said. “The remainder of their tuition will be covered by Warren Wilson through scholarships and institutional grants.”
Holmboe said the program was created to provide greater access to higher education for students in the area.
“Certainly, we hope to make ourselves a real financially accessible institution for students from the state and grow the enrollment of students from North Carolina,” she said.
Nestor Ramirez, a doctoral student in the UNC School of Education, said college accessibility is important because getting a college degree benefits both individuals and their communities.
“One of the main reasons to consider college accessibility is the fact that we talk about higher education as this great equalizer,” he said. “We’re told as children that if we want to succeed, we need to get a college education.”
Ramirez said college is not accessible to everyone because of the rising cost of tuition.
