Tuition Assistance Program for College Students in the District of Columbia Gets New Life

In 1999 Congress passed legislation which permits students residing in the District of Columbia to attend state-operated universities anywhere in the nation and pay in-state tuition rates. Under the program, students attending private colleges or historically black colleges and universities can receive $2,500 in tuition assistance. Since 1999 the initiative has provided tuition assistance for more than 11,000 students.

The program was set to expire on September 30 but it appears that a five-year extension of the program will be approved by Congress. And President Bush has indicated support for the measure. The tuition assistance plan costs taxpayers about $35 million annually.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.