Free College 101

Free-college programs traditionally have focused on providing a tuition-free education, but there is growing support for policymakers to guarantee a debt-free education. Even if a college charges nothing for tuition, attending college is not really free if a student still has to pay for room and board, books, transportation, and other expenses. To make attending college debt free, a program would have to use financial aid other than loans to address costs of attendance besides tuition. Confusion surrounds the definition and implementation of free-college programs. This report discusses the basic terminology of free college as well as some common questions about education finance and student financial aid.