Earlham College announces tuition-free program for some Hoosier students

Updated Oct. 21

Richmond’s Earlham College said some low-income Hoosier students will pay no tuition to attend the private Quaker college. The new program aims to increase the number of Indiana high schoolers that choose to go to college.

To qualify for a tuition-free education at Earlham College beginning next fall, a student must live in Indiana, be eligible for a federal Pell Grant, and their family must make $60,000 or less per year.  Base tuition to attend Earlham for next fall is more than $49,000.

In a video announcing the program, Earlham president Anne Houtman said the income eligibility is above Indiana’s median household income.

“This exciting new initiative will make an Earlham education more affordable for many college-bound students across Indiana. This program honors our history and underscores our long-standing commitment to changing the world for good,” Houtman said.

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Even with the new INspire Earlham program, education isn’t free. Students will still need to pay fees – including room and board if they live on campus. Those fees total more than $13,000.

The Richmond school says transfer students from Ivy Tech Community College and other schools are eligible for the tuition-free program if they meet the qualifications.

This summer, Grace College in Winona Lake – also a private, Christian school – announced its education would be tuition-free for some low-income students. Grace College’s program leans on calculations from the federal FAFSA form to be eligible.

Correction: An earlier version of this story mistakenly identified Earlham College as a private Christian university. It has been corrected to reflect that Earlham was founded by Quakers, a movement within Christianity.