Financial Aid, Financial Freedom

Students walking by the Berea College sign on campus.

Berea's Financial Freedom Pledge

We don’t just award financial aid. We offer financial freedom.

At Berea, our strongest desire is to help realize the unlimited potential of our students.

Rooted in access, affordability, and opportunity, our Financial Freedom Pledge makes Berea’s most transformational declaration clear: to make a world-class education possible by taking tuition off the table, maximizing students’ financial aid at every point, and providing additional perks and financial resources beyond imagination.

Berea's Financial Freedom Pledge

We proudly stand as the only college in America that exclusively admits students from limited economic resources—offering a no-tuition degree, meeting all allowable housing and food costs, and helping graduates leave with the least debt possible.

Pledge #1:

Take tuition off the table for you—and every Berea student.

We stopped charging students tuition in 1892 and we continue to provide groundbreaking college affordability by ensuring every single Berea student receives our No-Tuition Commitment.

Pledge #2:

Meet 100% of your calculated financial need for housing, food, and fees without including student loans.

Our unique financial aid model covers all allowable housing, food, and fees costs. You will never be asked to pay more than your Student Aid Index (SAI) toward these costs. If your SAI indicates you’ll need to contribute financially, Berea helps you identify ways to cover those costs.

Pledge #3:

Add additional value through free resources, opportunities and perks designed specifically for you.

At Berea, you receive a free laptop to keep upon graduation; free health, dental and counseling services; fully funded internships; study abroad scholarships; free professional clothing, and so much more.

Pledge #4:

Provide you with financial aid packages each year that result in no/low debt at graduation.

Berea is one of a few colleges nationwide that does not include loans to meet a student’s calculated financial need. If your SAI increases over time or if your expected payment still needs to be covered, we use loans only as a last resort to ensure you graduate with as little debt as possible.

The delivery of these pledges is simple—the moment you are admitted, our Financial Freedom Pledge begins and continues until the day you graduate. No fine print. No need to negotiate. No surprises. If you’ve earned admission, you’ve earned our full Financial Freedom Pledge.

Berea’s Financial Aid Package

Free to dream bigger, try harder, and go further.
Our comprehensive financial aid package is unmatched, blending generous funding from Berea with federal and state grants, personal scholarships, and additional awards. Your financial aid package is tailored just for you and your financial need.

No-Tuition Commitment

This is the bedrock of our unrivaled financial aid program. We took tuition of the table in 1892. Learn more about the total tuition savings.

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Campus Care Commitment

Students will never be asked to pay more than their Student Aid Index toward housing and food. Learn more about the cost savings of this commitment.

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Premier Perks Commitment

These perks make your experience complete and include a free laptop, free health, dental and counseling services, fully funded internships, free professional clothing, and more. Learn more about the total value of these perks.

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