COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two central Ohio colleges announced a partnership this week that aims to cut tuition costs for students and expand access to taking college courses for those who may not be able to afford it.

What You Need To Know

  • Columbus State Community College and Ohio Wesleyan University announced this week three collaborations that'll help Columbus State students earn their OWU bachelor's degrees easily and more affordably

  • The three collaborations include the Tuition Match program, the Teach Now program and the expansion of the Preferred Pathway program

  • Overall, the goal is to help students earn their degrees quickly and with fewer costs

Columbus State Community College and Ohio Wesleyan University announced this week three collaborations that'll help Columbus State students earn their OWU bachelor's degrees easily and more affordably.

The three collaborations are:

  • The Tuition Match program: Open to any Columbus State student who has earned an associates degree, but the student must have a GPA of at least 3.5 and be in good academic standing. The program will be available for up to 25 full-time students every year for up to four OWU semesters.
  • The Teach Now program: High school students who have earned an associates of arts or associates of science degree at Columbus State can get an affordable pathway to becoming a licensed K-12 teacher. This program helps address central Ohio's teacher shortage. 
  • Expansion of the Preferred Pathway program: Allows qualified Columbus State graduates to enroll at OWU and earn their four-year bachelor's degrees without credit-transfer concerns.

Additionally, starting this fall, high school students who are qualified will be able to combine College Credit Plus/Dual Enrollment classes completed through Columbus State with Teach Now enrollment in OWU's education program. This will allow students to graduate from OWU with their bachelor's and teaching licenses in two years. 

According to Columbus State, Preferred Pathway majors include: accounting, biology, business administration–management, business administration–marketing, communication, data analytics, economics, elementary education, English–creative writing, English–literature, finance, health and human kinetics–nutrition, inclusive elementary education, integrated science for teachers, management economics, neuroscience, psychology, sociology, special education and zoology.

"With today's announcement, Ohio Wesleyan and Columbus State have struck a landmark partnership that we believe will redefine how institutions like ours can collaborate to expand access, improve outcomes, and address pressing societal challenges," said Ohio Wesleyan President vandenBerg in a press release. "Tuition Match, Teach Now, and our expanded Preferred Pathway programs provide important new opportunities for Columbus State graduates to turn their two-year associate degrees into four-year OWU bachelor's degrees. And this is just the beginning. Together, we aim to set a new paradigm for how liberal arts and community colleges can partner to advance shared objectives and ultimately strengthen our communities and world."