York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, will cover tuition and fees for students starting next semester by using federal COVID-19 relief funding.
South Carolina is providing $17 million in relief funding to the state’s 16 technical colleges for residents to attend at no cost. Gov. Henry McMaster announced the Workforce Scholarships for the Future program last week. He’s asking the General Assembly to allocate $124 million more in federal funding to keep the program going through June 2024.
“South Carolina must be proactive in addressing the labor shortage. This funding will take on the crisis head-on by providing thousands of South Carolinians with the skills needed to thrive in a number of high-demand careers," McMaster said in a statement.
York Technical College said it could cover costs for about 1,000 students with some of that money. President Stacey Moore says the program applies not only to students who are working toward a degree, but also to those getting credentialed for jobs like an EMT or truck driver.
“I just think it’s this huge potential for anyone out there who wants to try something different,” Moore said. “Reskill into a new career, upskill into the career they’re in, start college, finish something they’ve started.”
Tuition for a full-time student taking 12 credit hours at York Technical College can cost between $3,096 and $4,413.
The no-cost program starts in the spring semester and runs through June 2024. Enrollment is open now, and students are encouraged to enroll by Dec. 10.