States Offer Free or Low-Cost Classes for Older Adults

Free or Cheap College Courses for Older Adults in All 50 States

Pick up job skills or pursue a passion at little or no cost

Getty Images There are plenty of reasons to go back to school, even if it's been years or even decades since you last set foot in a classroom. You can pick up new job skills, learn a new language or simply dive into a subject — art, music, psychology, basket weaving — that has always fascinated you. Perhaps the best reason of all? It's free (or less costly) for older residents of every state and Washington, D.C., to take college courses. A few common caveats: Older would-be students, in some states starting as young as 50, can typically join a college class only when space permits. That means you have to wait until at least the first day to know if you secured a spot. Whether you can get credit for the course or only audit the class varies by state and school. Also, in many states just tuition is covered. So older students might still need to pony up for books and fees. But even that's a relatively small price to pay to . Check out the free or low-cost opportunities for lifelong learners in your state.

Alabama offers a , giving state residents who are 60 or older free tuition at participating two-year public colleges, that is, community colleges. For more information on a particular school's policy, contact its financial aid office.

The system — including the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Southeast — to state residents who are eligible for . Full retirement age ranges between 65 and 67, depending on your year of birth.

Sorry, older Arizona residents; no free classes for you. But some colleges offer reduced tuition. For example, Maricopa County residents ages 65 and up pay just half the in-county tuition at all 10 campuses. And Cochise or Santa Cruz county residents 60 or older get 50 percent off at . Also, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona host , which offer no-credit classes and a variety of other academic-type opportunities to locals 50 and older for a fee ranging from $10 to $140 per semester or $350 for the year, depending on the program.

requires all state-supported schools to waive tuition for any enrolled students who are 60 or older. Contact each school's financial aid office for more information.

can attend classes tuition-free at any of the . (Note that is currently full.) Bonus: also covers application, health services and related activities fees, and reduces the student body center, student body service and health facilities fees to just $1.

A few Colorado schools offer programs for older adults to audit classes for free. At , you have to be age 55 or older to qualify. At the and the , you have to be at least 60 years old. And at the , the minimum age is 65. At , you either have to be 62 to 64 and retired or 65 or older. The University of Denver offers a senior audit program for adults 60-plus for $100 per course.

Connecticut residents who are at least 62 years old can attend any state college for free, whether you want to pursue a degree or audit a class. For more information on a particular school, contact its registration office.

State residents 60 and up can take classes, for credit or audit, at the . On top of tuition, the law waives application, course registration and related fees (not including lab and shop fees). But you must be an official degree candidate to be eligible. At the , you can even pursue a graduate degree, tuition-free, once you hit 60.

The waives tuition and fees for courses at both UDC's Community College and Van Ness Campus for D.C. residents who are 65 or older and admitted to the school. To obtain a degree, you have to pay half the tuition and fees required. allows locals (from the 20037 and 20006 ZIP codes) ages 60 and up to audit classes for $65 a pop. lets Washington, D.C.-area residents 65 and older audit for $50 a course (plus fees, if applicable).

Florida residents 60 and older can get a for classes audited at any state university, including the , and the . For details, check with the registrar's office of your school of choice.

The sponsors a program for residents 62 and older to audit or take classes for credit at any of the state's public colleges without having to pay tuition or related fees (except for supplies, labs, shop and such). While you can use the waiver for graduate-level courses at certain schools, including , it does not apply for dental, medical, veterinary or law schools.

Several University of Hawaii schools, including , and , participate in a Na Kupuna program (kupuna means grandparent, ancestor or honored elder). It allows Hawaii residents 60 and older to audit a variety of classes without tuition or fees. Check with individual schools for details.

A number of schools in Idaho, including and the , allow older residents (starting at 65 for the former and over 60 for the latter) to audit classes for free. If you want to get credit for classes, you have to pay discounted rates. Through its , Idaho residents 65 and up pay a $20 registration fee per semester and just $5 per credit hour, plus any special fees. Same rates apply at and the for residents 60 and up.

allows its low-income residents 65 and older to enroll tuition-free in any state college, including the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and Chicago State University. Your annual household income must be of the federal poverty level to qualify.

requires public colleges to offer retired residents 60 and up a discount of at least 50 percent off in-state tuition on a maximum nine credit hours a semester. Some schools offer an even better deal: For example, and waive 100 percent of tuition for a credit course. And at campus, you can audit classes for free. The also allows tuition-free enrollment to retired state residents, but you have to be at least 65 years old to be eligible and pay a $20 application fee for the Lifelong Learning College.

Slim pickings for older education-seeking residents of Iowa. The lets locals 62 and up take one free for-credit course each semester. (with campuses in Indianola and West Des Moines) lets those 65 and older take one course per semester; non-credit courses are free; for-credit courses are available at the discounted rate of $375 per credit hour.

can audit undergraduate- and graduate-level courses at any state university without having to pay tuition or related fees (special fees may still apply). Contact the registrar's office of your preferred school for details on registration and class availability.

requires all state-supported schools to waive tuition for any enrolled students 65 or older. Contact the school's financial aid office for more information.

Residents of Louisiana at any public college or university in the state and waive tuition and registration fees. Bonus: If you buy the books and other supplies required for the class at the school's bookstore, you get a discount of 50 percent.

The provides a tuition waiver for state residents who will turn at least 65 during the semester in which they register for undergraduate courses, whether for credit or not, at . That includes the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Augusta, the University of Southern Maine and others.

who are retired and at least 60 years old can waive tuition for a maximum of three undergraduate or graduate courses per semester, even if they're seeking a degree, at any of the . Retired is defined as getting most of your income from retirement benefits and not working full-time. With the system's , you can also access all campus libraries, special cultural and social events, peer advising opportunities and discounts on fees. Exact benefits are determined by each school.

State residents 60-plus can use a at any of when they enroll in undergraduate classes for at least three credits per semester. The value of the waiver varies by school. For more information, contact a particular school's financial aid office.

Several Michigan schools allow older adults to take classes for free. At and , state residents 60 and older can audit classes for free. At tuition and related fees are waived for up to two on-campus courses each semester. CMU also waives the application fee, special course fees and even parking fees. Both and offer free tuition to locals 62 and up. Western Michigan limits this opportunity to one class per semester.

lets residents who turn at least 62 before the start of a semester audit classes for free at any public college or university in the state. (If you have a railroad annuity, you qualify for free tuition at age 60.) If you prefer to take a class for credit, you may have to pay an administrative fee set by the school: At the , it's $10 per credit hour; at , $20 per credit hour. Other fees may also be charged, depending on the course.

There's no statewide rule about free tuition for older adults in Mississippi, but several schools in the state offer the benefit. For example, invites residents 60 and up to take tuition-free classes on its Starkville and Meridian campuses or even online, with a maximum of six credit hours per semester. And at the , students 65 or older can take one class (up to four credit hours) per semester tuition-free.

who turn at least 65 on or before Aug. 1 may audit classes that academic year at any state-supported college or university. Schools may charge a registration fee of up to $25 per semester.

The offers a tuition waiver for state residents who are at least 65 before the start of a semester to attend classes at any of its , including the University of Montana schools, Montana State University schools and a few community colleges.

A number of Nebraska schools allow residents 65 and up to take classes, tuition-free. At the and , they can audit one class per semester. At the and campuses of the University of Nebraska, they can audit up to two classes a semester for an annual $25 fee.

The , offers tuition-free courses for locals 62 or older, but only during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer, they have to pay 50 percent of the regular cost. The University also hosts an , which offers a variety of classes, events and other opportunities for semiretired and retired adults of all ages. Membership costs $175 a year or $90 per fall or spring semester and $40 each summer.

In New Hampshire, residents 65 and older who are not enrolled in a degree program can take up to two courses each academic year, tuition-free, at both and the .

Many New Jersey colleges and universities offer older state residents the opportunity to audit classes for free. At all , the minimum age is 62; at and , you have to be at least 65 to take advantage of the offer. Montclair State even lets you use the tuition waiver if you're seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree.

It's not exactly free, but are required to offer tuition of just $5 per credit hour for up to 10 hours a semester to residents of the state who turn at least 65 by the third Friday of classes. Schools may limit their allowance to fewer hours: lets residents take up to six credit hours at the reduced rate. Check with individual schools’ admissions offices for details about their policies.

residents 60 and up may audit classes, tuition-free, at all State University of New York and City University of New York schools. How many credit hours and other details vary; contact individual schools for more on their policies. (The state may soon to allow residents over 65 to enroll tuition-free in a limited number of credit classes, too.)

may audit classes at any of the and community colleges without paying registration fees or tuition. Other fees may apply, as determined by each school.

A handful of North Dakota colleges allow state residents 65 and up to audit classes and waive tuition costs. That includes , , and . NDSU also waives related fees, but it does require payment of a $35 application fee.

may audit classes at any state college or university for no tuition or matriculation fee. Special fees, such as lab fees, may still apply.

to waive tuition and fees for residents 65 and up. Some schools that offer waivers: , , and .

must waive tuition for up to eight credit hours per semester audited by students who are 65 or older. , and the offer the same allowances.

Many Pennsylvania colleges and universities offer tuition-free classes for older state residents. offer its , which allows state residents 60 and up who are retired or working no more than 20 hours a week to take up to six credits each semester, for credit or audit, tuition-free. and West Chester University have similar programs. allows students 62 and older to audit classes for no tuition or fees.

State residents 60 or older may qualify for a tuition waiver to attend classes at Rhode Island's public colleges and universities, including the , and the . But they are subject to a “” to show they are within set income limits. And degree-seeking students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

may attend classes, for credit or not, at any state-supported college or university without paying tuition.

Sorry, South Dakota residents; there's no rule allowing for free classes for older locals in state. But there is a requirement for a rate reduction, at least. State schools must to residents 65 and older for either undergraduate- or graduate-level courses.

for academically inclined older residents. First, when you turn 60, you become eligible to audit classes at any state college or university without having to pay tuition, maintenance fees, student activity fees or registration fees. Second, when you turn 65, you can skip the same costs and take classes for credit, but the school may then charge you a service fee of up to $45 a quarter or $70 a semester.

Texas public colleges and universities may offer tuition-free classes to . If you prefer to take classes for credit, you can take up to six credit hours without having to pay tuition. Some schools offering this break include: , , , and the . (Students as young as 55 may take advantage of a tuition reduction program at participating schools.)

may take classes at any public college or university in Utah for next to nothing. While you won't have to pay tuition or other related costs, you do have to pay a quarterly registration fee, which varies by institution. The charges $25 a semester (for audited classes); costs just $10 a semester.

The allows students 65 and older to audit one undergraduate course each semester, tuition-free, at any of its member schools, including Castleton University, the Community College of Vermont, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College. If you want to go for more — either auditing additional classes or opting for credit toward a certificate or undergraduate degree — you pay just half of the regular rate.

In Virginia, can audit up to three classes each term at any state college or university for zero tuition. And if your taxable individual income is $23,850 or less, you can register as a full-time or part-time student and take classes for credit, tuition-free. Other fees may be charged.

In , residents 60 and up may be able to waive tuition and pay only a small registration fee for up to two classes a semester or quarter, depending on each school's particular policies. At and to audit classes at , eligible students pay $5 per course; at , the fee is $2.50 per class.

requires that public colleges and universities offer programs that allow residents 65 and older to take classes for drastically reduced costs. If auditing a class, you only pay a total of $50 in tuition and fees. If getting credit, you pay no more than half the standard in-state rate.

The , including , allows state residents 60 or older to audit classes for free.

Wyoming has free options for older people wanting to go back to school. The , for example, allows admitted students who are at least 65 to enroll in classes at no charge. And offers a Golden Age program that gives Park County residents 60 or older a tuition waiver for up to six credit hours a semester, along with free admission to most social, cultural and athletic events on campus.

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