Pell Grant-eligible students attending New Hampshire’s community colleges can now access so-called “last dollar” financial support to cover any remaining tuition expenses after other aid has been exhausted.
Administrators say the new Promise Program will help to close the financial gap for those seeking to advance their education and join the workforce.
The program is open to students at all seven of the state's community colleges who qualify for Pell Grants, a federal program geared toward students “who display exceptional financial need,” and who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Participants must also be enrolled in at least six credits per semester. Starting now, they can receive funds to cover any remaining tuition costs not already covered through other scholarships and grants.
The community college system says students won’t need to submit any additional applications for the program, as long as they’ve completed the FAFSA application. Financial aid offices at each campus are ready to assist students seeking funds, they said.
The $3 million program was funded through the new state budget, and education officials expect it will benefit 1,000 to 1,500 students.
The government funding will expire in two years, if not renewed by lawmakers. But Mark Rubinstein, chancellor of the community college system, said schools are likely to exhaust the money more quickly. At a press conference announcing the new program at Manchester Community College, he expressed optimism that it would bolster enrollment rates and prove its value.
“The investment that they are making is in the potential, in the promise of New Hampshire students,” Rubinstein said. “In the possibility that those students today will be in some cases, and in some cases already are, the workforce for New Hampshire tomorrow.”
Rubinstein said the program is based on successful models in other states, including Maine and Vermont. He said it could boost the local economy, noting that the community college system helps launch careers in sectors where recruitment has been a challenge — including health care, criminal justice and the trades.
Anthony Poore, president of the New Hampshire Center for Justice and Equity, said the new program is also a way to ensure that people of color and low-income students have access to higher education and job training programs.
“If we are going to ensure access to equitable educational opportunities at the K-12 level or through our local colleges and universities, we will continue to work with you all as we remove both economical and structural barriers, seen and unseen,” Poore said.
Earlier this summer, the community college system announced that it was again freezing tuition for the upcoming school year for its approximately 20,000 students.
