Berea College will cover 100% of tuition, housing, food and fees for all enrolled students beginning in fall 2027, according to an Aug. 27 release.
Berea's "Financial Freedom Pledge" is aimed to increase access, affordability and opportunity. According to the release, the college is the first in the country to provide every student with a fully funded, comprehensive, no-loan degree.
"Every student arrives at Berea with gifts: talent, curiosity, determination, creativity, a desire to serve and dreams for the future," Berea President Cheryl L. Nixon said in the release. "Our commitment is simple: When students bring us their gifts, Berea invests in their potential. The real value isn't measured in what students save. It's measured in the freedom they'll have to dream, explore and become."
The move is not the first in the school's history. Berea College has offered free tuition since 1892 and is the oldest continuously tuition-free college in the United States.
The pledge, which currently represents an estimated value of more than $285,000 over four years, according to the release, is built on four core ideas:
100% fully funded degree: Berea College funds tuition, housing, food and fees.
100% full scholarship package: Berea funding, federal and state grants, and other scholarships combine to cover the cost of attendance without loans.
100% of students through graduation: Fully funded for all four years
100% financial freedom while students pursue their degree
In addition to covering direct educational cost for the roughly 1,500 students on campus, Berea also covers the cost of books and supplies, a free laptop, professional clothing support, conference funding and wellness resources.
"At Berea, we don't just award financial aid – we offer financial freedom," said Luke Hodson, senior associate vice president of admissions and financial aid. "Students are free to choose a major because they love it, free to focus on learning instead of debt, free to pursue internships, research, leadership, service and graduate study and free to dream boldly about their future."
Reach reporter Lillian Metzmeier at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Berea College to offer fully funded degrees in fall 2027