ECC Announces Free Tuition and Fees This Fall
In an effort to help students and their families recover from the pandemic, Edgecombe Community College has created a new scholarship program called the Edgecombe Pledge. This unique initiative will fund in-state tuition and fees for all qualifying students who enroll beginning in the Fall 2021 semester and extending through the Spring 2023 semester.
This is a last-dollar program, which means that it will pay for tuition and fees after all other sources of funding are exhausted. Funds to be used first are available from Federal Pell Grants, the North Carolina Longleaf Commitment Grant, additional federal and state programs, Golden LEAF Foundation, State Employees Credit Union, and other private sources for scholarships, such as those offered by the Edgecombe Community College Foundation.
The Edgecombe Pledge will be available to both degree-seeking students and continuing education students who qualify.
“We are so excited about this initiative and hope it provides the assistance and encouragement for everyone who is interested in or needs to pursue an educational or workforce training credential,” says ECC President Dr. Greg McLeod.
Students who are seeking degrees must be North Carolina residents, they must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually, and they must complete an ECC application for admission. In addition, students must be enrolled in a degree program that is approved for financial aid and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
The Edgecombe Pledge is for all degree-seeking students, full time and part time. Part-time students who take just one class are eligible to receive free tuition and fees.
Continuing education students who are North Carolina residents and are enrolled in short-term workforce training programs leading to a state- or industry-recognized credential also qualify for the Edgecombe Pledge.
Approved continuing education programs are a minimum of 96 contact hours and include Advanced Manufacturing Academy (RAMP East), Basic Law Enforcement Training, Construction Academy, EMT Basic and Advanced, Facility Maintenance, HVAC, Mammography, Nail Technology, Natural Hair Care, Nurse Aide I and II, Paramedic, Phlebotomy, Solar Construction Academy, and Welding.
In order to receive the Edgecombe Pledge, continuing education students must complete the continuing education application and the continuing education scholarship application.
“The College is deeply grateful for federal and state dollars that have been made available to support this effort,” Dr. McLeod adds. “Our sincere hope is that students and their families, bolstered by this additional assistance, will be better prepared to move forward out of the pandemic and emerge stronger for the future.”
To learn more about the Edgecombe Pledge, degree-seeking students should email admissions@edgecombe.edu, or call or text (252) 618-6526. Students interested in continuing education programs should contact continuinged@edgecombe.edu or (252) 618-6605.