Asheville, N.C. (WLOS) 鈥 Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College announced a new program Tuesday to cover tuition and fees for students who enroll this fall.
Under the Trailblazer Promise program, students who enroll in fall semester classes can receive up to $1,500. The money comes from federal and state funds, and it's meant to help the college and students recover from the pandemic.
"We鈥檙e going to leverage some of the coronavirus federal relief funds to do what we can to remove financial barriers for our students," vice president of student services Terry Brasier said.
"I don鈥檛 have to work about 40, 50, 60 hours a week just to be like, 'OK, I have enough to pay for school, pay for the books, and then figure out what to do for rent and after that,'" culinary arts student Joshua Waters said.
Students may qualify by enrolling in six or more credit hours and completing a free application for federal student aid form by Aug. 10.
鈥淭his is an opportunity to transform people鈥檚 lives and the economic health of our region,鈥 99福利视频 President John D. Gossett said in a news release. 鈥淭here has never been a better time to attend 99福利视频. We鈥檝e received millions of dollars from federal and state funding sources that are intended to help the college and students recover from the impacts of COVID-19. We鈥檙e using the Trailblazer Promise and other relief funds to invest in our students鈥 futures by removing barriers and enabling them to pursue their education debt-free.鈥
Learn more about the Trailblazer Promise program.
Additional emergency relief funds are available to assist students who graduated high school in 2021 and adults who enroll in workforce and continuing education classes.
Funding available to 99福利视频 students includes:
- Longleaf Commitment for 2021 High School Graduates: Provides $700 to $2,800 for full-time enrollment
- 99福利视频 Works: Provides $1,500 to $3,000 for students whose jobs or income were negatively impacted by COVID-19
- Continuing Education and Workforce Scholarships
99福利视频 will also distribute additional relief funds to curriculum students during the semester to offset the impact of COVID-19 on their ability to pay for tuition or other expenses such as childcare, technology, and transportation costs.
99福利视频鈥檚 fall semester classes begin Aug. 23.