FAIRFIELD — Any Maine high school graduate from the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023 is now eligible to receive free full-time tuition to Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC), effective immediately. The incentive is funded through Governor Mills’ approval of the Maine supplemental budget.

“Waiving tuition for these students will reduce the significant barrier of higher education cost; with the average full-time, two-year community college tuition for Maine residents at about $3,700 a year,” said KVCC, in a news release.

The initiative aims to grow and strengthen Maine’s skilled trade workforce and accomplish other statewide goals, including increasing the percentage of Mainers with valuable credentials by 2025 and encouraging young residents to stay in Maine.

Eligibility requirements include: living in Maine at time of attendance, graduating with a high school diploma or equivalent in the years of 2020-2023, and attending the College full-time (equaling 30 credits per year).

“The Free College Scholarship program is going to give students in the high school classes most affected by the pandemic the ability to enroll in college without the financial stress,” sais CJ McKenna, KVCC interim Dean of Students. “Students in Kennebec and Somerset County will benefit greatly from the Free College Scholarship program.”

KVCC offers more than 30 two-year degree and one-year certificate programs, including nursing, welding, respiratory therapy, early childhood education, mental health, electrical lineworker technology, and culinary arts, among many others.

For more information or to apply, please visit https://www.kvcc.me.edu/free-college/.

An Info Night regarding the Free College Program will be held at KVCC on Wednesday, May 18, at 6 p.m.

Kennebec Valley Community College is one of seven community colleges operating under the authority of the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees, located on a seventy-acre campus in Fairfield, Maine. KVCC offers the lowest tuition in New England, with tuition rates set at $96 per credit hour for Maine residents. There are multiple financial aid options available for prospective and current students, including scholarships, grants, loans, work-study programs, and more.