The rising costs of tuition can be quite a burden, especially for lower income individuals.

However, both University of Washington and Washington State University have created a program that allows students from lower income families to attend college...tuition free!

It was the University of Washington that first announced the free tuition program in September of 2006, and WSU has just recently followed suit.

The universities will cover tuition and fees for students who are state residents and who qualify for Federal Pell or State Need Grants. Eligible students would be those whose family incomes are less than 65% of the Washington's median income (about $46,500) for a family of four.

The program begins autumn quarter 2007 and will cover any future tuition increases.

The program hopes to assist these lower income students, as they are usually the first in their family to attend college. As University of Washington President Mark Emmert stated: "We believe the inability to pay should not prevent any Washington student who academically belongs here from earning a degree."

Not a bad deal considering the University of Washington is one of the best colleges in the nation.

To Qualify for Free Tuition a student must:

• Be a Washington State resident
• Be eligible for the Pell Grant or State Need Grant Programs. (Currently, the State Need Grant program funds students with family incomes at or below 65% of the state median family income.)
• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Enroll full-time
• Be pursuing a first bachelor's degree
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress