Free community college: What you need to know

Mark Ojakian, President of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, addresses the audience Wednesday morning, February 22, 2017, for Norwalk Community College’s annual Legislative Breakfast at the college. less Mark Ojakian, President of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, addresses the audience Wednesday morning, February 22, 2017, for Norwalk Community College’s annual Legislative Breakfast at the ... more Photo: Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Free community college: What you need to know 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The Connecticut State Universities and Colleges Board of Regents adopted rules and regulations for a debt-free community college program Thursday, promising that qualifying students will pay no tuition or fees starting this fall.

The Pledge to Advance Connecticut, or PACT, is the system’s response to legislation passed last spring. To be eligible, students must have graduated from a Connecticut high school, live in the state, not have previously enrolled in a college or university, and be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester.

Students must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for PACT aid, and the amount of their award will cover the “last-dollar” gap between any state, federal or institutional aid they receive and the total cost of tuition and fees.

Do you have to be from a certain income bracket to qualify for free tuition? Do you have to receive a Pell Grant?

No. All students who meet the in-state, first-time, full-time requirements are eligible, regardless of their household income. Students must fill out a FAFSA, but they do not need to be awarded any specific federal aid to qualify.

Will tuition go up for students who aren’t eligible for PACT, like part-time students, or students who aren’t enrolling for the first time?

Ojakian said Thursday it’s too early to answer that, and didn’t commit to keeping tuition and costs flat next year. “That’s a very interesting topic, and one which we will have to consider, probably in January or February,” he said. The Board of Regents votes on tuition and fee rates each spring. “My preference would not be to put an additional burden on students who do not qualify for this program,” he said.

Are high school students in dual-enrollment programs eligible?

Yes. To be eligible for a PACT award, students must not have previously enrolled in a college or university after completing high school. Students who are earning college credit before graduating high school can receive PACT aid if they enroll full-time at a community college in the fall.

Why is this happening? Where is the money coming from?

The state legislature required the CSCU system to create a debt-free community college program last year when they passed Public Act 19-117. Legislators intend it to be funded by revenue from iLottery, or online lottery ticket sales; however, that hasn’t been authorized yet. “Over the long term, that looks like it’s more than adequate money to fund this program well into the future,” Rep. Gregg Haddad, D-Mansfield, said Thursday “There may be some initial start up delays that would require us to take some action and in the shorter term to fill the gap, and we’re working with the governor to both identify exactly what the long term costs of this program will be and how to fill that gap for the short term.”

What about loans or work study?

Students’ financial aid awards often include a combination of grants (which do not need to be paid back), loans (which must be paid back), and work study (when students work part-time and are paid through federal funds provided to colleges). Loans and work study are not considered when calculating PACT awards, according to the manual adopted by the board Thursday. Students’ financial aid grants will be subtracted from the cost of tuition and fees, and the remaining amount will be covered by PACT, without including any loans.

Are students who are undocumented immigrants eligible?

No, they cannot receive PACT aid because one requirement is filling out a FAFSA. Undocumented students are not able to apply for federal aid, so they will not be eligible for PACT. However, undocumented students can apply for institutional aid from the Connecticut community colleges for the first time this spring. Applicants must be in-state students, under the age of 30, have arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16, and must not have been convicted of a felony.

How much is tuition at Connecticut community colleges?

For the 2019-20 school year, full-time tuition is $2,238 per semester. Additional fees range from $51 for material fees to $487 per semester for clinical programs.

Liz.teitz@hearstmediact.com