When it comes to higher education, the cost can often be a major factor in determining where to apply. Fortunately, there are several universities in the USA that offer either free tuition or extremely affordable rates. Here are the ten most affordable or tuition-free universities in the USA:
List of the Most Affordably Priced/Tuition-Free Universities in the United States
Berea College
Zero tuition, no kidding! This is one of America’s top colleges that promises no tuition to all enrolled students. It also comes packaged with a promise of a scholarship, making it possible for you to graduate debt-free.
This has not too affected Berea’s standard. Berea College offers 49 major programs for the degree-granting certificate program for each academic year. So, Bethel College is one of those schools that should not be overlooked when discussing low-cost universities in the United States.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Admission to Berea College is academically competitive. With a limited number of spaces in each year’s entering class, students who have strong academic potential and financial difficulty are usually accepted. Here are some of the requirements:
- ACT (or SAT equivalent) score between 20 and 30 with a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0.
- Participation in community service and leadership qualities.
- Four (4) units of English (including composition, rhetoric, and literature), three (3) units of mathematics (at least algebra I, algebra II, and geometry), two (2) units of laboratory science, two (2) units of social science or history (including world history). Two (2) units of a foreign language.
- High school transcripts and official score reports are required.
Washington State University
LOCAL TUITION: $11,584
WSU, founded in 1890, is the second-largest higher education institution in Washington State. It is a public research university in Pullman, Washington.WSU has taken advantage of educational technologies to bring its courses to life online; its faculty includes world-renowned researchers and industry experts dedicated to teaching.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Okay, you know how that bugging question keeps coming up in your mind: “Will I Get Accepted?” Well, with a 77% acceptance rate, you probably will. An admissions application must include the following:
- Transcripts
- Proof of English language proficiency
- Certificate of finances
- Identity verification (passport or national ID)
Alice Lloyd College
Tuition Fee: $12,230
This private, non-profit college, established in 1923, has an administrative selection and acceptance rate of 8%. Alice Lloyd College ranks in the 2020 Best Colleges list at number 21.
We couldn’t find any data on Alice Lloyd College’s online degrees. This means the school doesn’t offer any online degrees, or the information is unavailable.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Alice Lloyd College has standard admissions requirements with a few exceptions.
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
Curtis Institute of Music
Tuition Fee: $2,525
With a small student body of about 175 students, the Curtis Institute of Music has trained exceptional, gifted young musicians to engage a local and global community through the highest artistry.
The only considerations for admission at the Curtis Institute of Music are talent and artistic promise.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
We will only focus on a few critical requirements here:
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
The City University of New York (CUNY)
Tuition Fees: Vary as shown below.
- Residents of New York State or full-time four-year college students$6,930 per year
- full-time community college $4,800per year
- Out-of-state residents and full-time college students are charged $18,600 per year.
Plus, you could always apply for financial aid or a scholarship.
Providing quality, accessible education regardless of background or means has been Cuny’s mission since 1847. One of the primary missions of Cuny is to make excellent education accessible and affordable.
A Cuny education costs a fraction of what you would have to pay at a private institution.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
Alcorn State University
TUITION $7,084
Alcorn State University is a historically black public university in Lorman, Mississippi. Established in 1871, it was the first black land grant university in the United States. Alcon has been a home for the black student community over the years.
If you are looking into studying any of these courses—education, medicine, law, business, and becoming a professional athlete—this is the right fit.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Provide information for all required fields.
- accurate email address
- Social Security number
- Then click the “apply” link.
Minot State University
TUITION: $7,288
Minot State University is currently ranked as one of the 32 regional universities in the top 100 public schools. Minot online/distance learning is not among the universities that began due to COVID-19; they already had a solid online/distance learning presence before COVID-19. They have been online for more than 22 years, and the online is affordable, just like the onsite.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Prospective international freshmen and transfer international students may apply online at www.minotstateu.edu. Once the online application is submitted, the following supporting documentation must also be submitted by the appropriate deadline:
- Application for Form I-20
- Certification of financial responsibility
- Official entrance exam score
- Official records demonstrating prior academic achievement
- International transfer student form (if applicable)
- A $35 non-refundable application fee
- The biographical page of the passport
- Supporting financial documents
Webb Institute
TUITION; $50,175
Webb Institution is not your typical engineering college; all students receive full scholarships, but only citizens and permanent residents are eligible; the rest of “you” must pay, but Webb Institution is far less expensive than most private schools.
We could not find any information on the Webb Institute’s online or distance learning course. This could mean that the school does not offer an online degree or that information hasn’t been made available.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The average GPA formally recognized by the Webb Institute is 3.15. The Webb Institute does not require a GPA. Nevertheless, be mindful that schools, in their bid to increase their prestige, are currently increasing their other requirements. Since we are not mind readers, it will be safe to shoot for a 3.31 GPA.
Franklin-Woodrow Wilson Engineering College
TUITION $52,844
This is a private institution with a semester-based academic calendar, established in 1917, located forty miles from Bishop, California, and situated on an isolated cattle ranch in deep Spring Valley.
Each admitted student receives a full scholarship, which covers the cost of accommodation, tuition, and board. Worthy of note is that deep spring isn’t the end game for most students; they transfer to a four-year institution to finish their BA or BS, usually after completing the deep spring two-year program.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The regular admissions application deadline for Olin College is usually January 1. Olin College admissions are very selective, with an acceptance rate of 16%. Students that get into Olin College have an average SAT score between 1460 and 1550 or an average ACT score of 34 to 35.
California State University
Tuition varies thusly:
- Californian Residents: $6,768
- Out-of-state residents: $18,648
The California State University, or Cal, is a public university located in California, as the name implies, in Long Beach, and is the most extensive four-year public university system in the US with 23 campuses.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Entry requirements are specific to departments and programs. Application dates and deadlines (note that these may change) range between:
- Winter: June 1–June 30
- Spring: August 1–August 31
- Fall: October 1–November 30
Online or distance learning
A California State University online degree, curriculum, and professor are the same as if you attended the on-campus program. So by studying online, you truly are not missing out on anything.
We must admit that this list is not exhaustive, but there are a few free and low-cost universities in the United States that you can investigate.
