25 Colleges With Free Tuition for Senior Citizens

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Retirement is typically a time to relax. But investing some of that free time into learning new skills can help keep your mind sharp.

Many institutions across the U.S. offer free college courses for older adults. These programs are an excellent opportunity to explore new interests and stay intellectually active while earning college credit or a degree.

For those who don’t want to worry about grades, many schools also allow seniors to audit classes without doing homework or taking exams.

But what colleges offer free tuition for senior citizens? What are the requirements for these programs? Read on to discover 24 universities with free college courses for older students and overviews of how they work.

We’ve compiled a non-exhaustive list of colleges and universities that offer free tuition to senior citizens interested in earning college credits toward a degree.

We did not include programs that exclusively offer auditing classes or institutions that only accept older adults as non-degree students.

Education Code 89330 authorizes the popular Cal State system to provide free tuition for senior citizens. Each campus must grant tuition waivers to California residents aged 60 and older. Waived fees include those for tuition, applications, health services, and instructional-related activities.

Seniors can enroll in regular-session, undergraduate-level courses in subjects such as art, the humanities, agriculture, and computer studies.

Article 5, Title 59 under the South Carolina Code of Laws allows state-supported universities to offer free tuition for seniors.

For example, Clemson, a large public university, provides free college classes for older adults. Multiple departments and programs across campus offer free tuition to senior citizens, excluding the Ph.D. in business administration program and study abroad-related programs.

Students must be South Carolina residents to receive the benefit, and admission is subject to program approval.

At the University of South Carolina, eligible students can take as many courses as they please as long as they remain in good academic standing with the university.

For example, Georgia Tech, one of the country’s top tech institutes, offers a 62 and Older Program that provides a waiver for both in-state graduate-level tuition and applicable student fees. Students can earn a graduate or undergraduate degree by paying only the cost of books, supplies, and laboratory fees.

Provision 4.2.1.9 in the Georgia Constitution includes rules regarding free college for seniors aged 62 and over. State residents can take higher education courses at any of the 31 colleges and universities in the state system at no tuition cost.

UGA’s 62+ Program applies to most undergraduate and graduate courses. The doctor of pharmacy, doctor of veterinary medicine, juris doctor, executive master of business (MBA), and master of laws programs, among others, are not included.

Per KRS 164.284, Kentucky residents aged 65 years and older qualify for free tuition for any undergraduate or graduate college course at state-supported institutions, like Kentucky State University. Students are responsible for any special or additional charges, including course, book, and lab fees.

The Donovan Scholarship provides free tuition and fees for in-state students 65 and older and allows them to audit classes, take credit towards a degree, and earn credit without working toward a degree either in-person or with limited availability online.

Northern Michigan University offers full-tuition scholarships to adults aged 62 years old and over. The scholarship covers tuition for on-campus classes and does not include books, fees, or tuition for off-campus or online courses.

Under the university’s Senior Citizen Enrollment Program, students over 60 from Houghton, Baraga, Iron, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon counties can have tuition and fees waived for up to two audited on-campus courses per semester.

Residents who are 60 and older can apply for a tuition waiver at the University of Rhode Island if they have been admitted to the university. Eligible applicants must meet or fall below a designed income level to qualify for the waiver.

Students over 60 can qualify for the Rhode Island College Senior Citizens Tuition Waiver.

Some courses, like student teaching practicum, applied music, independent study, and clinical nursing are ineligible for the waiver.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents waives tuition for residents who are 65 and older on a space-available basis. Students are expected to pay student, campus, and course fees associated with registering.

Adults over the age of 60 are eligible for tuition-free undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Arkansas on a space-available basis. You must also have a high school diploma or GED.

The waiver covers tuition and general student fees. However, it does not cover program-specific fees, textbooks, or class supplies.

The university waives all in-state tuition and fees for eligible students over 60 on an availability basis. Students paying out-of-state tuition are not eligible for the waiver.

Golden Age Students, students over 60, receive a tuition waiver for regular semester credit courses. They must submit standardized test scores like the SAT and ACT that are less than six years old, a transcript, and formal application to the university.

Connecticut state law allows residents aged 62 and older to qualify for a tuition waiver at any public higher education institution, including community colleges. Courses are available on a space-available basis.

Learners interested in earning a degree must follow the standard admission procedure and apply for their tuition waivers once accepted. University fees, student activities fees, and any course or program fees still apply.

Chapter 34, Subchapter X of Delaware law authorizes residents aged 60 and older to attend college without paying tuition. Seniors are responsible for paying for books, supplies, and lab and shop fees.

The University of Delaware’s Over-60 Tuition-Free Degree Program uses a space-available format and does not cover continuing education classes. Seniors must apply to be admitted to an undergraduate degree program or graduate program.

The Illinois Senior Citizen Courses Act permits public universities to enroll seniors in regularly scheduled credit courses on a space-available basis without charging tuition.

At the U of I, residents age 65 and older are eligible for a tuition waiver as long as they are admitted to the school and have an annual household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Note that fees and other charges are not included in the tuition waiver.

Louisiana law exempts residents 55 years old and older from tuition and other registration fees at public colleges and universities. Students also qualify for 50% off textbooks and other “aids to instruction” required by a course.

At the University of Louisiana, those who are 60 years old and older who register for three or fewer undergraduate or graduate credit hours will not be charged tuition. Students are still responsible for campus and course-specific fees.

The University System of Maine waives tuition and board-approved mandatory fees for residents 65 years of age and older who register for undergraduate courses for credit at any campus within the university system. Departmental and program-specific fees are not covered by the waiver.

Section VIII230 of the University System of Maryland’s policies and procedures ensures senior citizens’ right to free undergraduate and graduate courses on a space-available basis.

Any retired individual age 60 or older whose chief income comes from retirement benefits may be eligible for a tuition waiver at a member institution, including UMD, which offers the Golden ID Program.

Application, registration, and other mandatory fees are not included in the tuition waiver.

In Massachusetts, the Categorical Tuition Waiver provides financial support to eligible students, including seniors over the age of 60, who can’t afford higher education without assistance.

UMass Amherst’s Senior Citizen Tuition Credit Affidavit credits $857-$1,320 in tuition per semester, depending on whether you’re enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program.

Sec. 135A.52 MN Statutes guarantee free tuition for seniors aged 62 and older at any Minnesota state college or university on a space-available basis. Seniors must pay an administration fee and cover any materials, personal property, and service charges.

UMN’s Senior Citizen Education Program allows qualifying seniors to earn college credit at $10 per credit.

Mississippi State University provides a tuition waiver to residents ages 60 and older who enroll in classes offered at their Starkville or Meridian campuses on a space-available basis.

Students can enroll in a maximum of six credit hours per semester and 18 credit hours per calendar year. Online classes are included in the tuition waiver. However, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program and College of Veterinary Medicine are excluded.

Other schools like Hinds Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and the University of Mississippi offer free tuition for students 65 and older.

The Montana Board of Regents grants tuition waivers to senior citizens age 65 and older who reside in the state

The University of Montana’s University of New Hampshire allows residents 65 years of age and older who are not enrolled in a degree program to take a maximum of two credit-bearing courses per academic year on a space-available basis, at no cost. Students are required to pay for additional fees.

Chapter 54 of the Texas Education Code authorizes state colleges to offer free tuition for Texas residents ages 65 and older. Like most tuition waivers, the award doesn’t cover fees, books, or continuing education classes.

UT Austin — one of the country’s top public universities — allows seniors to take up to six credit hours for no tuition.

Virginia’s Higher Education Act, Code 23.1-640, waives tuition for residents aged 60 and older taking up to three full- or part-time courses for academic credit. An applicant’s individual taxable income may not exceed $23,850 for the year preceding the award year.

UVA’s Senior Citizen Waiver Program allows qualifying older adults to take for-credit courses at no cost except for course materials.