Clinton College, a historically Black college in Rock Hill, South Carolina, is offering free tuition for all full-time students enrolled at the school during the upcoming 2021-2022 academic year. In his announcement last week, Clinton College President Lester McCorn said the goal is to make sure students can still get an education despite financial hardships brought on by COVID-19, NBC News reported. McCorn adds that full-time student will also receive free laptops.

“We want to make sure you can perform with excellence without excuse,” he said.

While vaccinated students can live on campus, they will still be responsible for paying room and board. Full-time students who live off campus can continue their courses online free of charge.

“It has been taxing for each and everyone of us,” McCorn said about the pandemic. “At Clinton College, we have done our best to keep the school moving forward and providing a quality education, even in a virtual environment.”

Clinton College, which has operated for 120 years, was established by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church during the Reconstruction years. It was one of several school at the time which aimed to eradicate illiteracy among free Black people.

Full-time students at Clinton College were paying $9,920 for annual tuition before the pandemic. The school reduced the cost by 50% for all enrolled students while moving to online courses. Now, the Rock Hill institution becomes one of several small schools in the state which is offering free tuition during the pandemic.

According to The Herald, Spartanburg Community College is also offering free tuition for students taking a minimum of six credits. Denmark Technical College, another South Carolina school, recently offered to waive the costs for the first 500 applicants for the fall semester.

A similar trend is also seen at several schools in Alabama, according to Patch. That includes Lawson State, which is offering up to $2,000 in funds that can be applied to students' accounts for tuition. Miles College, another Alabama institution, has cleared $2.1 million in outstanding student balances.

"During this time, students have faced many challenges, both academically and personally, yet they have continued to endure and pursue their higher education goals," said Bobbie Knight, Miles College President. "As we begin the 2021 – 2022 school year, we look forward to supporting the success of our students."

Clinton College

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