Retraining

Program InfoLine (215) 968-8030

The Bucks County Community College Free Tuition Program is now closed indefinitely to any new entrants. There can be no exceptions.

However, there are other options for laid off and unemployed people who wish to study at Bucks and need assistance with tuition:

• Federal Financial Aid. All interested in receiving federal financial aid should file a FAFSA form. Federal Aid (grants as well as loans) is now available for students receiving unemployment benefits, and attending college. This was a result of the recent change( June 2009) to the Unemployment Benefit opportunities. The FAFSA form can be found online on the Financial Aid home page: http://www.bucks.edu/admissions/financialaid/index.php
  • A Special Condition form, is available from the right-hand margin of the same web page, and should also be filed if applicable. A special condition is considered if there is a reduction in income and benefits for the student and family for the current year. Please complete and attach the required supporting documentation with the form and submit to the Financial Aid Office
• Scholarships
  • Bucks County Community College College scholarships http://www.bucks.edu/foundation/documents/FAQforStudents.pdf
  • Scholarship opportunities maybe found by using the free scholarship website of www.fastweb.com to apply for scholarships that may be available to you for attendance at our school.
• PACareerlink. The PACareerlink offices in Bucks County have a variety of services available to laid off and unemployed residents, including free computer training classes, and some programs which fund college courses for the individual who fulfils the particular conditions. Their office locations and contact information is below.

Free Tuition Program Overview

Presentation from Meeting Dec 14, 09

A maximum number of 30 credits may be taken within one academic year on a space-available basis. The program will be in effect from January 2009 to January 2010, with students able to complete their studies by August 2010. Although tuition will be waived, students must pay for all applicable fees, books, and supplies. Free tuition applies only to college credit courses. Continuing Education programs are not eligible for this program.

The Free Tuition Program at Bucks is not related to the government's efforts to expand access to financial aid through Pell grants. In order to take advantage of expanded access to Pell grants and other federal financial aid opportunities, you must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid through the Department of Education. The Bucks Free Tuition Program is administered in accordance with eligibility and program guidelines set forth by the Board of Trustees.

Eligibility requirements and policies regarding the Free Tuition Program are subject to change.  Please check this site regularly for updates. Also, all Bucks students including those participating in the Free Tuition Program are responsible for checking their BucksMail accounts for any official communications from the College. Failure to read messages from the College regarding changes to this program is not grounds for appeal of any decision to terminate a student's participation in the program due to an oversight on the student's part.

Information for Current Free Tuition Participants

Registration Under the Free Tuition Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

To be eligible, the applicant must:

• apply to Bucks using the free online application.
• be a resident of Bucks County
• have been permanently laid off from a full-time position on or after December 1, 2007
• not be receiving financial assistance for education or retraining from the former employer or the government
• attend a mandatory information session to verify eligibility and prepare for registration.
• Students must be current on all financial obligations to the College to be eligible for this program.

Individuals who have been out of the workforce since before December 1, 2007 and/or due to anything besides a lay-off (disability, displaced homemaker, etc.) are not eligible for this program; however, they may be eligible for other assistance through CareerLink.

Registration (New & Current Free Tuition Students)

Registration: All Free Tuition Program participants must register during Final Registration for the upcoming semester in order to avoid paying tuition and fees.

Advising. Although registration may not occur before Final Registration for those in the Free Tuition Program, and although advising can also take place on that date, participants are recommended to be advised and to receive an advising code prior to the registration date.

Bucks will no longer permit students in the Free Tuition program to elect to pay for one course and take the rest of their courses under the Free Tuition program. Holding a seat by paying for it will result in disqualification from the program. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Frequently Asked Questions

To contact Career Services please click here. You may also call our Free Tuition Program InfoLine at (215) 968-8030. Please use the information on this web page and the information on the InfoLine as much as possible before calling the College's main number. At Bucks, we like to bring a personal touch to everything we do, and we wish we could provide one-on-one support to everyone with questions about this program. Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming response, we are not able to respond to every e-mail and phone call as quickly as we would like to. If you do e-mail anyone directly or call and leave a message, please be aware that it may take up to three business days to receive a response.

Appeals/Special Circumstances

The Free Tuition Program works on a seat available basis and is not funded by the government or any outside organization. In the interest of fairness and making the most seats available to those in need, the College needs to adhere to the criteria set forth by the Board of Trustees. Please read the following responses to some of the most common requests for appeal before requesting one.

• I am not currently a Bucks County resident or I was a Bucks County resident, but I moved out of the county
  • This program is available to Bucks County residents only. You must have a Bucks County address to register for classes under this program.
• I was laid-off from a permanent position, but worked less than 40 hours a week. Do I qualify?
  • When you come to the College for verification into the Free Tuition program, you will need to provide documentation of the lay-off. In general, if you worked 30 hours per week or more, the position is considered full-time for the purposes of this program.
  • If the documentation you provide us specifies that the position was considered part-time, we cannot allow you into the program.
• I need retraining, but I was laid-off before December 1, 2007 or I need retraining, but I have been a stay at home caregiver for the past several years
  • Bucks supports your interest in enhancing your skills and is committed to maintaining a well trained workforce. If you are in this situation, we recommend that you apply for financial aid using the FAFSA and contact PA CareerLink at 215-781-1073 about training programs they offer.
• Will I need to pay anything for my courses at Bucks if I participate in this program?
  • Yes. All Free Tuition participants are responsible for fees (this includes all normal fees as well as fees for transcripts and other services.) Participants also are responsible for the cost of books and supplies. If you plan on taking studio art courses, materials fees can add up. Be sure to check details about the course in the credit mailer for complete details.
  • If you have an outstanding balance with Student Accounts, you will need to settle it before you can register for courses under the Free Tuition program. This program does not work retroactively to eliminate outstanding balances.