AKRON, Ohio — Students considering taking classes at Northeast Ohio higher education institutions this year could get a welcome break on tuition.

The University of Akron (UA) said it won’t increase tuition for the upcoming academic year, while Stark State College announced it will offer students free tuition this fall. 

Both schools made the announcement this week, as Ohio’s COVID-19 vaccination program begins to gain momentum, readying Ohio communities to reopen.

University of Akron President Gary Miller said UA would not increase tuition for the 2021-22 academic year and would reduce on-campus housing costs by 30%, estimating a savings of $2,500 for an academic year.

UA’s in-state tuition and fees for the 2020-21 schoolyear was $11,880 for in-state students and $15,500 for out-of-state students.

Room and board for on-campus housing averaged $11,220 per year, depending on the type of dwelling and meal plan. 

“We realize that many families continue to suffer from the economic ramifications of the pandemic,” Miller said in a release. “We are dedicated to doing all that we can to make higher education as accessible as possible for both current and incoming students.“

UA will not raise tuition for any of its degree programs on the main campus or at regional campuses in Medina, Lakewood and Orville. The university also offers incoming Ohio freshman a tuition freeze, guaranteeing tuition will stay the same for four years.

The school said it is also waiving the requirement that first-year students live on campus.

Stark State College 

Stark State College, with campuses in Canton and Akron, is offering high school seniors class of 2021 a full semester of free tuition, good for any number of credit hours online, or on campus, the school said.

Full time, or 12 credit hours, for the 2020-21 school year was $2,155 before fees. 

Because families are struggling with loss of income and other hardships brought on by the pandemic, many high school graduates likely think college is out of the question, Stark State President Para M. Jones said in a release.

“Stark State College wants to ensure that every single high school graduate in the region we serve sees and seizes the opportunity to attend college this fall,” she said.

For spring semester, students can continue their classwork at Stark State to earn a certificate or an associate degree, the school said, or transfer those credits to a four-year institution.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund of the federal Care’s Act is making Stark State's free classes possible, the school said.

Stark State has a partnership with UA called Direct Connect, which enables students to be admitted to both schools at the same time, enabling students to work toward an associate degree at Stark State, and transfer those credits to UA to earn a bachelor’s degree.

To learn more about Stark State’s free tuition, visit the website or call 330-494-6170.​