MOUNT VERNON — Knox County students are eligible for free college.
Knox Promise, a program of the Central Ohio Technical College, will fund the gap between tuition — instructional and general fees — and remaining student need after all other private scholarships, institutional, federal and state aid are exhausted.
The initial funds for the program have been provided by the Ariel Foundation, the Knox County Foundation, Mark and Denise Ramser, and Gordy and Fran Yance. Mark Ramser and Gordy Yance are former COTC board members.
Knox Promise will be available to eligible students starting Aug. 24.
Eligibility
The program is available to new, current or returning COTC students who report a household income of $60,000 or less on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The student must also be a current Knox County resident who has lived in the county for at least a year and cannot already have a bachelor’s or associate degree.
Recipients must be enrolled in an aid-eligible COTC degree or certificate program at any COTC campus or online progam. Students are automatically considered for Knox Promise if they are admitted to COTC and complete the FAFSA annually.
Students can enroll in as little as one credit hour each semester to be eligible.
Additionally, federal regulations require COTC monitor the academic progress of students who apply for and receive financial aid.
The standards for satisfactory academic progress include maintaining a minimum semester and cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a minimum semester and cumulative completion ratio of 67%, both at the end of every semester. Also, for students to remain eligible for financial aid, they must complete an academic program within 150% of the published credit hours required for the program, which is also assessed each semester.
In a press conference Monday, COTC President John Berry spoke about COTC’s commitment to affordability and accessibility.
“This investment in the future of our community is an investment in our neighbors, children and friends,” Berry said.
Ariel Foundation Executive Director Jen Odenweller called the initiative life-changing.
“COTC’s Knox Promise will provide an economic pipeline for local workforce development,” Odenweller said.
Similar sentiment was shared by Knox County Foundation Executive Director Jeffrey Scott.
“I hope that many Knox residents take advantage of this incredible opportunity to gain local access to a high-tech, in-demand college education,” Scott said. “The Knox Promise will not only help individuals build strong futures, it will help build a stronger future for all of Knox County.”
