ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Community colleges across the state are preparing to welcome a whole lot more students this fall if the Governor’s plan to offer free tuition to adult learners passes in the new state budget.

Under the plan, people between the ages of 25 and 55 who want to go into a high demand field will be able to get an associate’s degree for free at any community college in the state.  The proposal would cover tuition, fees and books at any SUNY school for adult learners who have never earned a degree.

The SUNY chancellor tells News10NBC that admissions teams across the state are preparing for this to pass as it seems to have legislative support.

“Health care, advanced manufacturing, green jobs, renewable energy…. we’re hopeful that we’ll see lots of enthusiasm from folks who want to make a change in their lives,” says Chancellor John King. “Maybe they’re driving for Uber, they’re barely making enough to cover their costs and housing and so forth, and coming to a community college, getting that degree, could unlock access, economic opportunity for them and their families.”

The program is open to those who don’t already have a degree, “they may have been in school before so they may have some college credit and we’ll try to make sure we can apply those to the degree but they are folks without a degree currently,” explains Chancellor King. 

The program isn’t quite a done deal until the budget is passed.  When/if that happens, adult learners will be able to apply and register for classes at any community college, starting this fall.

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