Free College

Free college for union members and their families

Earn your degree for free online. The Free College Benefit helps union families continue their college education without piling on thousands of dollars in student debt.

Fall semester starts October 25

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The Union Plus Free College Benefit, brought to you in partnership with AFSCME, ensures that cost is not a barrier to you and your family pursuing a college education.

What is The Union Plus Free College Benefit?

In partnership with Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC), the Union Plus Free College Benefit offers "last dollar scholarships" that fill the gap between any federal, state and employer education grants for tuition, fees, and e-books for certain online programs at Eastern Gateway. Please note: Only the Free College online degree and certificate programs listed below are eligible for these benefits.

Free College is possible thanks to the early support and enthusiasm of AFSCME, who entered into a collaboration with Eastern Gateway Community College in 2016. Since 2016, thousands of students have taken advantage of millions of dollars in Free College scholarships.

Earn an Associate Degree — completely online, for FREE! Even if you don’t qualify for student financial aid, the Union Plus Free College Benefit will be applied to your balance for tuition, fees and e-books.

Eastern Gateway Community College

Eastern Gateway Community College is a fully accredited, non-profit public institution that is part of the University System of Ohio. Students can enroll in the distance learning program from anywhere in the U.S. The program offers ten associate degrees and two certificate programs. Credits can be transferred to a four-year college.

Degree Programs

Accounting
Associate of Arts
Business Management — with optional certificate programs in: Advertising; Cyber Security; Data Science; Digital and Social Media; Entrepreneurship; Environmental and Conservation Studies; Finance; Hospitality: Food and Beverage Management or Hotel and Event Management; Human Resources; Information Systems/IT Help Desk; Labor Studies; Marketing; Programming and Development
Criminal Justice
Teacher Education (Associate of Arts)
Healthcare Administration
Health Services
Individualized Study
Paralegal
Professional Office Management
Social Work

Certificate Programs

Business Management – with an optional concentration in Accounting
Patient Navigator

Classes Begin Every 8 Weeks

Classes are online so they fit into your schedule
Attend full time or take as little as one class per term
Credits can transfer to other schools
Advising and tutoring is available to support students

FAQ

Your questions, answered.

Follow these easy steps to use your Union Plus Free College Benefit:
1. Go to unionplusfreecollege.org and select the “Get Started” button  and fill out your contact and union information (for membership verification), and your degree interests.
2. You will be directed to complete a simple college application form and an online financial aid form (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is a requirement.
3. Submit proof of high school graduation or GED completion. Acceptable proof includes official or unofficial high school/GED transcripts, or a copy of your diploma or official college transcript showing Associate Degree or higher. Include any college transcripts, as applicable college credits will be transferred to the new program.
4. Work with an enrollment specialist to enroll in classes and start working towards your degree.
As long as your financial aid file is complete, there is no cost to the student, and students are never asked to take out any loans.
Students who apply to Eastern Gateway must have completed high school or a GED program, as well as apply for and use any available federal grants.

The program is available in the United States including Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The following are eligible:
- Dues-paying labor union members of participating unions
- Unemployed, furloughed, laid-off union members
- Retired union members
- Widows/widowers of union members
- Spouses and domestic partners of union members
- Children of union members, including stepchildren and children-in-law (no age limits)
- Grandchildren of union members
- Financial dependents of union members
- Siblings of union members
- Parents of union members

Need help?

If you have additional questions, please start by reading the  Union Plus Free College Benefit FAQs.

To request support by phone, call Customer Support at 888-590-9009
(Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET).

To request online support, please send an email to  online@EGCCFreeCollege.org  or complete the  request information form.

Look what people are saying

I love the flexibility and the fast track of the program. It has worked very well with my schedule.

Chelsea T. IUPAT Member

College is so expensive. I recommend this to all union members I meet. Your family can go to school, and it’s huge.

Sarah C. AFT Member

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