Beginning next year, certain students will get free tuition at New Hampshire's state colleges. To be eligible, students must be New Hampshire residents, meet certain academic requirements and be attending one of the schools for the first time. Their families cannot earn more than $100,000 a year.
The University System of New Hampshire announced the program, The New Hampshire Promise, Thursday. In a statement, Gov. Kelly Ayotte said tuition waivers will be good for students and employers.
“By expanding affordable pathways to higher education, we’re creating more opportunities for our young people to pursue good-paying jobs and making it easier for them to build their careers in New Hampshire,” she said.
Under a prior version of the program, which was tied to federal loan eligibility requirements, nearly 4,000 students received tuition waivers between 2017 and this academic year.
Tania deLuzuriaga, a University of New Hampshire spokesperson, said they estimate the change in eligibility requirements will mean an additional 29% of next year’s incoming class will qualify for the program.
Under the prior program, students had to complete a lengthy and complicated federal Pell Grant application before they knew whether they would qualify for federal aid. That can be a hurdle, deLuzuriaga said, especially for first-generation students whose family members have not navigated the process before.
Now, students know up front whether they qualify and only need to fill out the standard federal financial aid application.
New Hampshire's public colleges and universities lost nearly $20 million in the last state budget. That prompted UNH to cut $17.5 million from its budget, leading to staff cuts and a hiring freeze. Student enrollment has also been declining.
Kimberly DeRego, chief enrollment officer for the University System of New Hampshire, said in an email that the schools will pay for the tuition waivers with money from its endowment. The University System also hopes the new program will attract donors who want to support lower-income students.
Students can enroll at UNH, Plymouth State University, Keene State College and UNH’s College of Professional Studies online program, and do not have to live on campus. They must have earned at least a 2.7 GPA at their prior school and be a full-time student.
The waivers could save students between $12,000 and $16,000 a year in tuition, depending on where they enroll. Tuition for UNH’s College of Professional Studies costs about $7,700 a year. Students will still have to pay for room and board and fees.
The tuition waiver is available only to first-year students and transfer students who have earned an associate's degree at one of the state’s community colleges. It is not open to current students unless they are receiving tuition waivers under the prior program.
Students will continue receiving tuition waivers throughout their college degree as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
Students do not have to apply to be considered. The University System will use information from the federal student loan application to determine if they are eligible.
Saint Anselm College in Manchester began its own tuition waiver program last year for New Hampshire and Maine students. Last month, it announced it was explaining eligibility to Vermont students.
